Portal:Australia/Featured article/Week 1, 2007
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ian Thorpe (born 13 October 1982), also known as the Thorpedo or Thorpey, is a former Australian freestyle swimmer who is regarded as one of the greatest freestyle swimmers of all time. He has won five Olympic Games gold medals, the most won by any Australian, and has won more World Championship golds than any other swimmer. Thorpe is the only person to have been named World Swimmer of the Year four times by Swimming World magazine, and was the Australian swimmer of the year from 1999 to 2003. His athletic achievements have made him Australia's most popular athlete, with his philanthropy and clean image earning him further recognition as the Young Australian of the Year in 2000. At the age of 14, he became the youngest male ever to represent Australia, and his victory in the 400 metre freestyle a few months later at the 1998 Perth World Championships made him the youngest ever individual male World Champion. After that victory, Thorpe dominated the 400 m freestyle, winning the event at every Olympic, World, Commonwealth and Pan Pacific event until his break after the 2004 Olympics. He announced his retirement from swimming on 21 November 2006, after illness and waning motivation had prevented a return to form.
