View source for Ian Thorpe

[[File:ianthorpe.png|200px|thumb|left|Ian Thorpe]]

==Country==

Australia

==Birth - Death==

1982 -

==Occupation==

Sports

==Notable Achievements==

Olympic Gold, Order of Australia, World Champion

==Description==

Swimmer who specialises in freestyle, but also competes in backstroke and the individual medley.  Has won five Olympic Gold medals (2000 - 3 gold; 2004 - 2 gold), eleven World Championship golds (1998-2003), and numerous other medals.  Retired from swimming in 2006, and further attempts at a comeback have been dogged by injury and illness.  Notable bouts of depression, alcohol, and suicide were followed by his recent announcement that he was gay and stories of bullying as a youth.  Created the Ian Thorpe Fountain for Youth to raise funds for children's causes.  Author of his autobiography, 'This Is Me' (2012).

== See Also==

* [[Order of Australia]]
* [[World Sports Champions Who Identify as LGBTQ]]
* [[Competitive Swimmers Who Are LGBTQ]]
* [[LGBTQ Athletes Who Have Won Olympic Gold]]

==Further Reading/Research==

* http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/12/ian-thorpe-gay-parkinson-interview
* http://www.outsports.com/2014/7/13/5895025/ian-thorpe-im-comfortable-saying-im-a-gay-man
* http://www.biography.com/people/ian-thorpe-20930179
* http://ianthorpes-fountainforyouth.com/