Thorpe, Ian (1982– )
Australian swimmer who won numerous Olympic and World titles in his short-lived career. Known as ‘Thorpedo’, he took nearly two seconds off the 400-metre freestyle world record at the 1999 Pan Pacific Championships and claimed the world record for the 200-metre freestyle event. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he won the gold medal in the 400-metre freestyle in yet another world record time, and the silver medal in the 200-metre freestyle. He was also part of the 4 × 400-metre freestyle relay team that took gold in a world record time. At the 2001 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, he won six gold medals, four of which were in a world record time. His six Commonwealth gold medals in 2002 matched the best ever performance by an athlete at the Games. He won three more gold medals at the 2003 World Championships and another two at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He announced his retirement from swimming in 2006 shortly after his 24th birthday, citing waning motivation.
Career highlights
Olympic Games
gold 200-metre freestyle 2004; gold 400-metre freestyle 2000, 2004; gold 4×100-metre freestyle relay 2000; gold 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay 2000; silver 200-metre freestyle 2000; silver 4 × 100-metre medley relay 2000; silver 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay 2004; bronze 100-metre freestyle 2004
World Championships
gold 200-metre freestyle 2001, 2003; gold 400-metre freestyle 1998, 2001, 2003; gold 800-metre freestyle 2001; gold 4 × 100-metre medley relay 2001; gold 4 × 100-metre freestyle relay 2001; gold 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay 1998, 2001, 2003; silver 200-metre individual medley 2003; bronze 100-metre freestyle 2003
World Short Course Championships
gold 200-metre freestyle 1999; gold 4 × 100-metre freestyle relay 1999; silver 400-metre freestyle 1999
Commonwealth Games
gold 100-metre freestyle 2002; gold 200-metre freestyle 1998; gold 400-metre freestyle 1998, 2002; gold 4 × 100-metre freestyle relay 1998, 2002; gold 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay 1998, 2002; gold 4 × 100-metre medley relay 2002
