Ian Thorpe
Ian Thorpe
Ian James Thorpe, OAMis an Australian swimmer who specialises in freestyle, but also competes in backstroke and the individual medley. He has won five Olympic gold medals, the most won by any Australian, and with three gold and two silver medals, was the most successful athlete at the 2000 Summer Olympics. At the 2001 World Aquatics Championships, he became the first person to win six gold medals in one World Championship. In total, Thorpe has won eleven World Championship golds,...
NationalityAustralian
ProfessionSwimmer
Date of Birth13 October 1982
CitySydney, Australia
CountryAustralia
In the end it was the only decision I could come to. I would have been so far off my best it was not worthwhile. I'm not where I need to be.
I didn't think that that was going to happen, ... Maybe what I need is to get up and give more than I had tonight. But I'm really pleased with the way I swam.
I am a bit disappointed with it, but it served its purpose. There is no reason I felt pretty ordinary and did not swim well today.
I'm getting better and it's actually the best I've felt in a while. I think the antibiotics are starting to work.
I'm excited about swimming the event because I won my first Olympic gold medal in the event,
I knew Pieter would go out quick and I just wanted to stay with him. It was a great result.
I thought I could, and thought I would, swim a lot quicker - much quicker.
People ask me 'what was going through your mind in the race?' and I don't know. I try and ...let my body do what it knows
I think now I'll probably take a few days off and enjoy the competition and then sit down with a few people and work out what is next, work out what the next preparation will be and what competition will be next.
Compared to how I have raced before and how I have competed, the success that I have had, this does look like doom compared to it.
I've enjoyed training again, I've enjoyed pushing myself in the pool and I'll keep on swimming until I feel I cannot get any more out of myself.
Im pleased to say that in telling them, and especially my parents, they told me that they love me and they support me. And for young people out there, know that thats usually what the answer is.
I've missed out on a huge goal but the desire is still there.
Sometimes we question things that we have done in our lives but how many times do we question what we haven't done in someone else's.