Ian Thorpe

Ian James Thorpe ( born October 13, 1982 in Sydney ) is a former swimming athlete and the Australian hitherto successful athlete. Since the 2000 Olympics in Sydney he belonged to the top in international swimming. In addition to winning five gold medals at the Olympics he set 13 world records. On 21 November 2006 Thorpe retired from professional swimming. He announced on February 2, 2011 at a press conference at his comeback with the intended participation in the 2012 Olympic Games. However, he failed in the national qualifications.

Career

Ian was born in 1982 as the second child of his parents, Ken and Margaret Thorpe. At eight, he discovered by his three older sister Christina 's passion for swimming. Due to a chlorine allergy, which did not allow Thorpe, like the other children to stay with the head under the water, he was already forced at a young age to swim with his head above water. At twelve, he joined both the coach and the swimming pool. The training situation changed fundamentally: He coached since twice daily, six days a week.

At age 13, he was at the National Junior Championships the most successful participants in his class and won all disciplines up to the 200 m distance. In the following years, Thorpe broke all national and state records and won ten gold medals at the New South Wales Short Course Championships.

1997 Ian Thorpe was selected for the Pan Pacific Championships in Fukuoka and was active the Australian national team. In 1999 he accepted a 25,000 dollar check for the first World Record in the basin of the pool at the Pan Pacific Championships.

At the age of 15 he was already two -time world champion. But this most important event for him at that time was yet to come. It was the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, his hometown.

While Ian Thorpe was the winner of the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships, but it still lacked a title at the Olympics. Despite the enormous pressure to succeed, he opened the games on the first day with a victory for the Australians in the 400m freestyle and a new world record in time of 3:43,10 minutes. In addition, he helped Australia in the 4 x 100 m freestyle relay to victory against the United States. He finished the game with three gold and two silver medals. Due to its outstanding achievements, he was given the honor to carry the Australian national flag at the closing ceremony.

After Sydney was followed by further success at the World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka in 2001 and 2003 in Barcelona. Among nine world titles.

Ahead of the 2004 Olympic Games, there was a disaster for Thorpe. When he at the start of the 400m freestyle produced an unfortunate false start on March 27 at the 2004 Australian Trials, there seemed no way for him to give to start at the Olympic Games in Athens and to defend his title. A false start means the immediate disqualification, and the international regulations can start attempts for faulty starter to. The national trials are mandatory for all Australian swimmer to qualify for the Olympics. His Australian swimming colleague Craig Stevens withdrew its favor his friend on his start in the 400m freestyle in Athens. This opportunity took Thorpe, he was Olympic champion and won even the "Race of the Decade" about 200 m freestyle against Pieter van den Hoogenband and Michael Phelps for themselves.

After successful for him Games in Athens Thorpe took a break. His subsequent comeback was marked by problems ( diseases, injuries and motivation). On November 21, 2006 Ian Thorpe the end of its active swimming career was known at the age of 24 years in Sydney. The main reason for the decision was that he previously could not attend the trials for the World Swimming Championships next due to injury. However, in the run-up to Australian media also reported on Thorpe's alleged obesity and training deficit. Thorpe himself admitted that the swimming top priority would have not had for him last.

Thorpe was in his career, four -time World Swimmer of the Year and six times Pacific Swimmer of the Year. He's athlete ambassador of development organization Right to Play. Since September 2008, Thorpe studied at Macquarie University.

Doping suspicion

End of March 2007 was the former superstar under heavy suspicion of doping. According to a report in the French sports daily L' Équipe elevated levels of testosterone and growth hormones were with him in May 2006 at a training test found. Thorpe denies all allegations. The World Federation FINA has now the International Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne called to pursue the case. August 31, 2007 Thorpe was acquitted by the Australian Anti -Doping Agency ASADA of any doping suspicion.

Records

On July 26, 2009 Paul Biedermann Ian Thorpe with the world record in the 400 meters freestyle took off his last remaining valid world record.

Personal Best

** At the time of emergence of the official world record