Ian Thorpe

Ex-Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe is one of the most successful athletes in Australian history, and was the youngest man ever to represent the country aged 14.

Thorpe’s career began when he was still a teenager, with his first international appearance at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in 1997. He won a silver medal at the competition, which made him the youngest ever Pan Pacific medalist, despite having an appendix operation just two months before the competition. Over the next few years, Thorpe continued to establish himself on the scene, with appearances at the World Aquatics Championships and the Commonwealth Games. By the time the 1999 Pan Pacific Championships were held, the swimmer had become a national treasure, and with Thorpe expected to break world records the games were televised for the first time ever. He didn’t let the crowds down, winning gold and setting a new world record for the men’s 400m freestyle. He was also part of the team that won the 4 x 100m freestyle final, with Thorpe anchoring the Australian relay team, as well as winning the 200m freestyle. This game-changing set of wins was the start of a record breaking run for the swimmer, becoming the most successful individual athlete at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. He won three golds and two silvers, and was aged just 17 when he competed.

The world-class swimmer continued to compete and set records until his retirement in 2006. Since leaving the sport he has become a gay rights advocate, worked with various charities and released an autobiography in 2012.