Ian Thorpe Quits (part 2 of 2)

[percdann]

For my own sake and sanity, for the sport and those who love swimming, i really really hope he's clean. But damn, its seriously suspicious

[ps2monster]

@percdann trust me, they would have caught him if he was doing drugs. Same thing with phelps and all the other great athletes like Lance Armstrong. They would have been caught. These guys get tested all the time..

[Coenzyme911]

great athlete.

It´s always a trip to watch the human miserables trying to get a hold of his personal life.

[ManFromMelbourne]

Why would he retire at such a young age when he`s at his peak? Could the French drug scandal have something to do with it? And for those who think he`s not gay, you have got to be joking.

[kolikolikokoliko]

@ManFromMelbourne well he's not at his peek, he was and achieved amazing things and he was mature enough to move away from the sport

he has the right to be happy and if swimming isn't doing it anymore why should he keep doing it

and why you're obsessed with his sexuality i really don't know

even if he is gay so what???

[JENNY82ist1]

how can people can support phelps?phelps and people like him are the incarnation of devil on earth because phelps slept with prostitutes,took drugsand was arrested because he was driving when he was drunk.phelps and people like him will go to hell because God hates fornication.on the contrary ian thorpe is a good person ,he is the son that i would like to have .he' s a good example for kids.ian is famous in asia (in my country japan) and in australia .phelps is NOTHING in his country.

[consiglieri1971]

@JENNY82ist1 Disgusting comment of you on Michael Phelps.

[tonibfan]

@consiglieri1971 it's not a disgusting comment,it' s pure TRUTH

[swimming36]

sad

[omentummajus]

he quit too young.

can't really understand it

[diegot143]

the guy looks like he quit to be live his true gay life..

[matteogege92]

well, this proves that he is not only a great swimmer, but a great and intelligent person too...

[aeroflying]

He woke up to reality

[jeffswims]

i hope you're ready to come back in the water...'m proud of you

[swimmer7829]

It takes a great amount of courage to do what Ian did, especially since he was one of the best swimmers in the world. I defiantly look up to him as a person.

[DarthMuse]

thorpe made hes mind up ages ago b4 phelps was even famous

[pierangeli14]

not to downplay thorpe, but I don't think he could have stood up to the Phelps challenge in Beijing, especially in the 200 free. If thorpe stuck around til Beijing, I doubt he would have pulled his best times considering his waning motivation. Phelps went more than a second faster than thorpe's old WR and thorpe hadn't broken a WR since 2001. His best times were long behind him. He got out at the right time.

[barskaya]

So, he went to LA, saw a good life and desided to quit swimming at the pick of his career? Hope people that showed him "good life" were not paid by competition to do so.

[barskaya]

I just saw 4x100 Man's relay in Beijing, Americans won. (Phelps got 8th gold medal)Camera found Thorp among other spectators on the seats. Gorgeous man. He was sitting there and knocking tears from his eyes. He misses it, I can tell.

[WolleSch]

No offence... really, I mean it. All you Ian Thorpe fans out there, please do NOT take offence, but I got a question: Is Ian Thorpe gay? He gave an interview on German TV and if he acted gay - he did a world class job! It was hilarious almost.

[svendeddy3]

no he's not

[labinott]

In an interview with Australian Good Weekend magazine, Thorpe states: "I became a gay icon when I was 15, which was a little bit weird. When I was 17, everyone had started that speculation about me, though I didn't hear about most of it."

[labinott]

"I don't have a problem with being a gay icon, it's not a big deal to me. But I think the gay speculation, along with when I was accused of taking drugs in 2000, was an attempt to pull me down from the top. Some people think it's an insult to say, 'Oh I think he's gay', but I don't take it that way. I'm not gay. I'm lucky that within myself I don't care enough to get worried or upset over it."

[Andythefunkman]

who are you?

[labinott]

im not Ian....this is what he said, and i just write it down for some peoples who think he is gay u know, and that was it

[michellex4292]

seems like a really good guy. i would have loved to see him swimming in beijing, but oh well.

[ltothem11]

would have been cool to see him and phelps slug it out in beijing.

[p0nch0nation]

Actually Phelps' time in that relay broke the previous American record for the 100m freestyle. He performed very well and did more than "shit", but of course credit must go to the 4th man for his 46 flat

[edmame]

so long! you were absolutely thrilling to watch.

[p0nch0nation]

I lost all respect for him when he spoke negatively about Michael Phelps. Not because I think that Michael Phelps is any more of an athlete than Ian Thorpe, but because it's a pretty classless move to bash an opponent who has never said anything negative about you in the first place, especially when YOU are the one with all of the records and medals.

[Querzeo]

When did he speak negatively about Phelps...? And where? To Whom?

[shellibella]

Actually he didn't speak negatively about him, Thorpe expressed his opinion that he doesn't think Phelps will get 8 gold medals and that he shouldn't under estimate other swimmers out there... i think he's doin Phelps a favour brining his ego back down to earth...and if u have been followin the olympics Phelps didn't perform as well as he was expected to in the freestyle relay lucky for Phelps the last swimmer of his team brought home that gold medal for them cos Phelps did shit in that race

[MONster2054]

you are right there... the french were the heavy heavy favorites for the 400 freestyle relay, and thorpe was just being realistic. no one would have thought that lezak could pull out a 46.0!

[kristianelim]

46.06 to be exact.. that really was the best moment of olympic swimming..

[Gladman]

too bad you are not in China!

[Abbaodin]

24 years old....and retiring! Good on him, now he can do other things with his life!

[helgelen]

Can't a guy be nice and not be accused of being gay? Sexuality aside, I think it's a bit disappointing that he's retired, but I respect his decisions. Hopefull he does some good things now. And btw, he can kind of be proud of himself because no one else in the world can really boast his success.

[twaegeman]

Well, I'm sorry to here that he's quit his swimming career. I have become a pretty good swimmer although I'm to old (23) now to start and compete but all I have learned is by watching Ian. Sow Ian, I want to thank you !!!

[jproxursoxoff]

What an amazing career:

He's broken, I think, 17 world records

He's won more than 10 Olympic Medals

He's been called one of the swimmer of all time

And get this: He's ALLERGIC to chlorine.

[meenayh]

i always give him my support!go ian..i dun gve a damn if u r a gay or wutsoeva..it is ur talent and ability to swimm dat f**^%kin fast dat matters in sports arena..gudluck ian..all da best to ya!

[Prissie27]

I'm glade he does what HE wants. It's part of growing up and finding yout self integrity: listening to youself and your own needs and following them. It seems like that's what Ian T. is trying to do now, and that's something very admirable! Go Ian! :-)

[abstarb]

he is not gay and those of you who are that obsessed with his sexuality need to maybe have a good look at why this is of such concern for you!!! good luck to anyone managing to get through a 15 minute press conference with all those photos, the TV cameras and the pressure of knowing the whole world watching. Great job, great man and fantastic athlete. Well done Ian and best of luck for the future.

[sweetgerl10]

hi, I think hi's gay because he was very nervous and hi's not hot lol

[stevie511]

This video isn't the best place to discuss Ian's sexuality, but someone made an interesting point earlier. If he is gay (and judging by his lifestyle, vocal inflections and mannerisms it seems likely), he really needs to come to terms with it. Living in the public eye has its pressures, sure, but nowhere near as much pressure as a closeted man puts on himself to live up to the expectations of others. Maybe retirement will be an opportunity for him to work through these issues.

[felix8287]

Maybe he isn't gay?!

[manny4life]

one of the greatest middle distance free stylers of all time...

[Malleballeboy]

I dont think that this is the right vid to talk about that hes Gay! So please stop doing that!

[treforpoly]

What a complete Wanker! Conceited, petulant, over-emotional,full of self-pity, attention seeking tosser. Do us all a favour, go and have a good cry and go and take a swim with some sharks off Torquay or some place where someone actually cares!!!

[MysticPlato]

Fucking asshole. He isn't conceited, he was one of the greatest swimmers in the world, and also incredibly humble, you have no goddamn idea what your talking about so just shut the fuck up.

[treforpoly]

MysticPlato, save your complements for yourself. Obviously you have 'strong' feelings towards this man and I empathize with you. I also stand to correct you, I have every idea what I am talking about and the guy is a conceited tosser! Here endeth the sermon! Now go fuck yourself!

[manny4life]

wait...how is he conceited?

[treforpoly]

Definition of conceited "excessively proud of oneself", do you need anything else clarified?

[manny4life]

yea, i didn't ask for a definition, i'm asking how is he "excessively proud of himself"

[rkeen1112]

he needs to come out of retirement in a couple years to beat phelps and Von den Hoogenband one more(and last)time

[jordiflix]

he is gay!!

[bdom1988]

yeah, u know its true that he retired cuz of phelps, he hasnt set a record in the 200 free since 2001, so there was no way that he wanted to get beat in his own event by phelp. and phelps crush his record in the 200 free. after phelps beat him in the 200 IM, he never compete in that event again, so i talked w/ the facts.

[bdom1988]

he retire, cuz michael phelps was coming up as the best swimmer alive, so he got scare and retired.

[jaepil]

man stfu, dats da lamest thing i ever heard, swimmers dont hate each other, if anything thorpe couldve stood off with phelps in somewhat could be the best olympic game ever, i doubt ur a swimmer so u dont understand.

[theliman]

I think most of his angst is centered around his sexuality. I am 100% positive he is gay. You can tell by the way he looks at a woman versus a man and the look of discomfort when he tells someone hes straight. I think once he comes out hell be much much happier and his life will change dramatically.

[rednut27]

Lleyton Hewitt is the biggest yob ever

[iRMalCubo]

Good for him...

[Fumbster]

Ian Thorpe, without question was the best freestyle swimmer that Austrailia has ever had. If you just watch him swim the 200 and the 400 Free, you can see how smooth his strokes are and how well he executes them. I laffed when doxiesrock123 said that you'd see him at McDonalds becuz they actaully saw him a while before, eating at McDOnalds and the media made a big story about how Ian Thorpe was getting more fat lol...

[notts20uk]

24, retired, a millionaire, won everything there is to do in swimming. Why not retire?

[vivekv88]

i still dont understand y does he retire at the age of 24, tats stupid

[doxiesrock123]

Its like you see him working in a Mcdonalds, lol

He is a amazing swimmer though..but you have to stop sometimes =\

[lliveanubis]

dis is sooo sad ian is my daughters idol as she is a swimmer annd she has alwys luked up to him

she will still luk up 2 him and hope 2 be a good swimmer as ian was in his career !!!

[sonofthedestroyer]

Strange thing is he looks like a white Shoaib Akhtar! LOL

[mvnjuan]

i think hes scared of losing his legacy

[ivancitogourmet]

this is so sad,

as a swimmer i think i was really inspiring on him

[wahahaqueen]

aT THE end'n, I almost cry too~

His swim used to impress me so much.

[tingletunglebob]

He had tears in his eyes he almost cried. He's the best ever. I can hardly accept his decision but it's easier for me, knowing he is happy now. And that's all that counts.

[DanitaRoddick]

The Best of Australia is Ian Thorpe and Lleyton Hewitt

[mirijo]

Ian Thorpe is arguably Australia's best ever swimmer (maybe shane gould and dawn fraser would also rank for the title). However... Lleyton Hewitt talks to his hand muppet and is a complete plonker! The best australian tennis player ever was Rod Laver.

[DanitaRoddick]

i'm not of australia i know rod laver is the best australian tennis player, but i like more Lleyton and Rafter

[lovesaidno1387]

i know what it's like to have to quit swimming, it's a very difficult desicion, but to do it on a GLOBAL scale, with so many olympic medals & commonwealth wins, it's even harder. all we can do is be supportive. thank you ian for being an inpiration to us all.

[lshung]

SO SAD WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS...

[Naddz]

so sad isn't it, I just hope he'll be happy, he deserves to be, he's only just begun

[dodo5678]

so true. i hope he has continual success in whatever he chooses to do