Ian James Thorpe (innate October 13, 1982), Australian swimmer, is regarded as one of a greatest middle-few feet away swimmers ever when winning a 200 & 400 metre freestyle races at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. He has won 5 Olympic gold ribbon, to a higher degree any more Australian.

Thorpe was natural inside Milperra, in the south-american suburbs of Sydney, and was educated at East Hills Boys High School( more far-famed alumni include Steve Waugh and Mark Waugh). Although Thorpe's father, Ken, excelled as a cricketer, Ian did non keep around a equivalent ability. Instead, he followed his sister, Christina, into competitory swim. Thorpe manufactured his number one impact within 1997, when he was selected at Fourteen for a Australian team at the Pan Pacific competition around Fukuoka, Japan, becoming the immature male to represent Australia inside playing. He come 2nd to an additional Australian stripling, Grant Hackett, in the 400 metre freestyle, beginning a competition which has continued ever since. He besides excelled in a 200 metre freestyle & the 200 metre butterfly.

Inside 1998, he etched his title into a Australian consciousness whenever he won a 400m freestyle at a globe Championships inside Perth, out-bouncing off Hackett, & so becoming the immature male to get world-champion. He late combined using Hackett, Michael Klim, and Daniel Kowalski to win the 4x200m freestyle relay, starting the sise-month winning streak for Australia in that event.

Withinside 1999, at the Pan-Pacific Championships in Sydney, he broke his number one globe records, setting a instance of Deuce-ace.41.83 in the 400m to break Kieren Perkins' mark by alvirtually all deuce seconds, which was til now take to be one of a most telling records of its period. He besides twice lowered a 200m freestyle globe record at a equivalent meet.

Since 1998 Thorpe has completely dominated a 400 metre freestyle event, winning a event at a 2000 Summer Olympic Games, the 2001 Fukuokthe Globe Championships (at which he won a number of half a dozen gold medallion), & once more inside Athens. His dominance has broadened to include a 200 & 400 metre freestyle (at which he holds a globe record), & he is one of the fastest Century metre freestylers in the world. He has been nicknamed "Thorpedo" per Australian click for his floating artistry.

Thorpe has as well pushed Australian relay teams to unprecedented profits, anchoring a winning 4x100 & leading off a 4x200 freestyle relay teams inside Sydney, a foremost period a United States had ever been beaten in the events. Within amount, he hwhen broken globe records (either on an individual basis or even as the share of a relay team) Twenty-two days.

Thorpe's profits is according to the hard act ethic, attention to detail, unflawed system, mental nature & severity, and the physiology suited to playing. At One.9Quint m (Sextuplet foot 5 within) & 105 kilogram (231 pound), he is very big for the swimmer & numbers of thought that when he matured & continued to develop he would become unable to maintain his performance as a teen. He has still, been suspire to maintain the trademark six-beat kick to power away to triumph in the closing stages of races, attributed to his unnaturally big feet.

Within 2002, he polemically split by having his womb-to-tomb coach, Doug Frost to train with Tracy Menzies.

Thorpe's preparations for the Athens Olympics were clouded by disputation. Within late March 2004 Thorpe competed in the qualification events. He was disqualified from either the 400 m freestyle (his better event) fallowing making a faithlessly run. Australia's Olympic choice system leave the qualifier to could have down, & for an additional swimmer to exist as selected in their place. Fallowing a bit of deliberation, a 2nd qualifier, Craig Stevens, withdrew from a event, & Thorpe accepted a offered place.

Since a Athens Olympics, Thorpe took a year hit from either competitory swim, skipping a 2005 globe championships. He is presently back inside step by step training, & has stated his handiness for the 2006 Commonwealth Games around Melbourne.

Out of a pool, Thorpe in numbers of ways defies a stereotype of Australian sportspeople. He shut up, modest-mannered, thoughtful, articulate, however highly restrained around his statements, & he reportedly makes considerable efforts to insulate himself from either a media whilst steel onself for & in the period of crucial cases. His want of interest within (& aptitude for) more sports is easily-known. Instead, his more enthusiasm appears to become fashion, as an ambassador for Armani clothing and his have range of designer jewelry. He was The presenter at a 2005 TVWeek Logies, & one of the angel of recently A-league team Sydney FC.

Thorpe's performances withwithin Sydney & Athens use manufactured him the national hero in Australithe, a united states which reveres sporting stars. His triumph in the 200 metres at Athens pitted him against U.s. floating phenomenon Michael Phelps, Sydney gold medallist Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands and his fellow Australian Grant Hackett. A race attracted unprecedented media attention around Australia, & Thorpe's triumph mass produced him one of a virtually all celebrated Australian jock ever. He has recently bought the $2.9 million home within Caringbah, a southern suburb of Sydney.

His personals bests come:

100m freestyle: 48.56 200m freestyle: 1:44.06 (Globe Record, July 2001, Fukuoka) 400m freestyle: 3:40.08 (Globe Record, July 2002, Manchester) 800m freestyle: Septenary.39.44 (Globe Record, July 2001, Fukuoka, since broken July 2005 by Grant Hackett)