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
I'm disappointed that I really haven't been able to race in a way that is reflective of the amount of work that I have done and how I have trained. But I don't regret giving this a go.
I'm more comfortable knowing that, chances are, I'm going to fail at this. I've become comfortable with that.
When I started this I wanted to get back in the pool, I wanted to race and I wanted to go to the Olympics. I still want to do all of those things.
I think I should retire after the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
My training is going exceptionally well. I'm fit and I have been for quite some time. I'm looking forward to racing.
I wasn't happy with it at all. I thought I would go faster than what I did last night (in the semi-finals) so it's pretty disappointing. I didn't swim as fast as I did last night. It's as simple as that.
Having time away, it reignites that passion and that fire that you have. And I have that back and I'm looking forward to the next four years,
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.