Ian Thorpe AM (b. 1982) is one of Australia's most successful Olympians. He started swimming at age five and, at fifteen, was the youngest world champion in history. His first Olympic campaign, in Sydney, resulted in three gold and two silver medals and three world records. Thorpe’s haul for 2001 and 2002 included wins in six events at the World Championships; six gold medals at the Manchester Commonwealth Games; and another world record. In claiming the 400m freestyle world title in 2003, he became the first swimmer to win the same event at three consecutive world championships. His two gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics came from victories in the 400m and 200m freestyle, the final of the latter event pitting him against American Michael Phelps in swimming's 'race of the century'. Thorpe has been open about his mental health issues as an elite athlete and is chair of the Australian Institute of Sport's Athlete Wellbeing Advisory Committee. He has two honorary doctorates, an Order of Australia and the Human Rights Medal, acknowledging his advocacy in Indigenous education, marriage equality and mental health.
Peter Brew-Bevan is a leading Australian portrait and fashion photographer, who took this image for the cover of Who magazine in 2012. That year, Thorpe had a brief comeback to competitive swimming after retiring in 2006, and released his autobiography This Is Me.
Gift of the artist 2021
© Peter Brew-Bevan
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