Ian Thorpe biography
Ian Thorpe, (born October 13, 1982, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), Australian athlete, who was probably the most profitable swimmer in that nation’s historical past, accumulating 5 Olympic gold medals and 11 world championship titles between 1998 and 2004.
Thorpe started swimming competitively at age eight, and, though he had been uncoordinated in different sports activities, he excelled within the pool. At age 13 he broke 10 nationwide age-group information in a single meet, and the next 12 months he grew to become the youngest swimmer to make Australia’s nationwide staff. At the 1998 world championships, Thorpe, then age 15, grew to become the youngest world swimming champion along with his world-record victory within the 400-metre freestyle. Aided by his top (6 ft 4 inches [2 metres]) and terribly massive ft, which some in comparison with flippers, Thorpe quickly grew to become often called the “Thorpedo.”
Already well-known in Australia, Thorpe attracted widespread consideration in the course of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, the place he gained three gold medals (400-metre freestyle, 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay, 4 × 100-metre freestyle relay) and one silver medal (200-metre freestyle). The following 12 months, on the world swimming championships, he gained six gold medals and set world information within the 200-metre freestyle, the 400-metre freestyle, and the 800-metre freestyle. He was additionally a member of the 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay staff, which set a world document. Thorpe’s different gold medals had been within the 4 × 100-metre freestyle relay and the 4 × 100-metre medley relay. His efficiency helped Australia win the staff title on the meet, and Thorpe was named greatest male performer. Thorpe continued his dominance of the freestyle as he gained three gold medals on the 2003 world championships (200-metre freestyle, 400-metre freestyle, and 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay). At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Thorpe added gold medals within the 200-metre and 400-metre freestyle occasions in addition to a silver within the 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay and a bronze within the 100-metre freestyle.
After his triumph in Athens, Thorpe spent a 12 months away from swimming. He returned to the pool to organize for the 2006 Commonwealth Games, however he was compelled to withdraw from that occasion due to sickness. In November 2006 Thorpe shocked the swimming world by abruptly retiring from the game at age 24. In February 2011 he introduced that he would return to worldwide swimming in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, however he didn't qualify for the Australian Olympic staff.