Australian swimming superstar Ian Thorpe retires

The powerful "Thorpedo," who won legions of fans around the world as he raced in his trademark black bodysuit to nine Olympic medals and 13 world championship medals, said he had realised there was more to life than swimming.

After facing injury, illness and questions about his motivation ahead of the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Thorpe said a training stint in Los Angeles this year had focused his mind on his future as a man, rather than as a swimmer.

"As I got fit physically my mind also got fit, I started asking a lot of questions. I started looking at myself not only as a swimmer but as a person," he told a news conference. "Another way to look at it is you can swim lap after lap staring at a black line and all of a sudden you look up and see what's around you. That's what it feels like to me."

Thorpe, who stands 195 cm tall and has massive flipper-size 17 feet, won three gold and two silver medals at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 when he was just 17. Magnificently built and admired for his powerful grace in the water, he was the pin-up of the games and later did a catwalk modelling stint for Armani.

He went on to win two Olympic golds in Athens in 2004, in his favoured 200 and 400 metres freestyle, and over his career broke an astonishing total of 13 world records.
He won 11 gold medals, one silver and one bronze at three FINA World Championships and 10 Commonwealth Games gold medals.

Thorpe, looking relaxed and cheerful, said he had realised that he now viewed his swimming career very differently to how he had seen it in the past and had wrestled for some time over his decision to retire.

The legendary swimmer has not competed at a major international meet since the 2004 Athens Olympics, with his bid to come back following a year out of competition ravaged by illness and injury.

He was ruled out of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games last March because of glandular fever and he has struggled to shake off the energy-sapping illness. Thorpe, who has an interest in fashion and his own underwear line, said he had not yet made any decision about his future, but would retain "some role" in swimming and was involved in plans for an Australian television show.
"I have a number of different opportunities with what direction I'm going to go. I haven't picked up the newspaper to look for a job. But if anyone's got any good ones for an ex-Olympic swimmer..." he joked.

Thorpe, who earns a reported 3.5 million dollars (2.6 million US) from sponsorships each year, said money was not his driving force. "I'm not driven by finance, it's not my thing. I'm lucky that I'm pretty financially secure. I'm not completely secure -- I have to work or I'm going to run out."
Thorpe, who was uncomfortable with the intense media focus he was subjected to in Australia and around the world, expressed his appreciation for the support he had received.
He paid special tribute to supporters in Japan, where fans, many of them young women, would welcome him at airports, hotels and swimming pools with shrieks usually reserved for Hollywood stars.

"I've reached all of the dizzying heights of this profession. I've had all of the success that I never thought would happen for myself, and for all of that I'm extremely appreciative."
He added: "I'm happy with what I've done. I'm happier now than I've ever been."
Thorpe's retirement was met with expressions of regret and admiration from Australia's political and sporting leaders.

Prime Minister John Howard called him "a remarkable athlete, a great swimmer, a good bloke".