QUOTE
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Five-time Olympic champion Ian Thorpe retired from competitive swimming Tuesday at the age of 24, saying breaking records "wasn't as inspiring as it should have been."
Thorpe, who held a news conference at a Sydney hotel, said he decided at "2:53 on Sunday afternoon" not to swim at next year's world championships in Melbourne and to end his pro swimming career.
"It's been a tough decision to make," he said. "I had to pick a time, that was the time. None of my goals included breaking any more world records. I knew how to do it, but it wasn't as inspiring as it should have been."
Speculation swirled for months about whether Thorpe planned to pull out of the world championships or quit the sport entirely. Local media reports predicted Thorpe would pull out of the national trials in Brisbane next month, citing the effects of a recent bout with glandular fever.
Plagued by illness, injury and a lack of motivation, Thorpe hasn't competed in a major international event since the Athens Olympics.
Thorpe burst onto the swimming scene as a teenager and swam to 13 world records between 1999-2002, becoming an international star after dominating at the Sydney Olympics.
"I was catapulted into the international limelight as a kid," he said.
He had to train in California earlier this year to escape the heavy media scrutiny in Australia.
"I've reached all the dizzying heights of this sport," he said. "I've also had a tremendous amount of success. I've also had setbacks — the last round of them sent me to LA where I could focus on what I was doing with fewer distractions than I have here."
Thorpe said his training has gone well in the United States, but he still decided it was time to call it a career.
"It's a very dark question for me. Swimming has been a security blanket," he said. But, "I haven't balanced out my life. I realized I had to prioritize other things and had to let swimming take a back seat - I'm looking at the next phase."
Thorpe and American Michael Phelps are acknowledged as the stars of the sport.
The Australian swimmer, nicknamed "Thorpedo," won the 200- and 400-meter freestyle events at the Athens Olympics.
He planned a yearlong break after Athens, claiming "mental fatigue" and hoping to stay fresh for major competitions down the road.
He later decided not to compete at last year's world championships in Montreal, then dropped out of the Commonwealth Games in March.
Thorpe, who won five Olympic gold medals and 11 world titles, did not entirely rule out a comeback.
"I never rule anything out, but it's not going to happen," he said as more than 100 photographers and reporters packed a hotel conference room for the announcement.
Thorpe, who held a news conference at a Sydney hotel, said he decided at "2:53 on Sunday afternoon" not to swim at next year's world championships in Melbourne and to end his pro swimming career.
"It's been a tough decision to make," he said. "I had to pick a time, that was the time. None of my goals included breaking any more world records. I knew how to do it, but it wasn't as inspiring as it should have been."
Speculation swirled for months about whether Thorpe planned to pull out of the world championships or quit the sport entirely. Local media reports predicted Thorpe would pull out of the national trials in Brisbane next month, citing the effects of a recent bout with glandular fever.
Plagued by illness, injury and a lack of motivation, Thorpe hasn't competed in a major international event since the Athens Olympics.
Thorpe burst onto the swimming scene as a teenager and swam to 13 world records between 1999-2002, becoming an international star after dominating at the Sydney Olympics.
"I was catapulted into the international limelight as a kid," he said.
He had to train in California earlier this year to escape the heavy media scrutiny in Australia.
"I've reached all the dizzying heights of this sport," he said. "I've also had a tremendous amount of success. I've also had setbacks — the last round of them sent me to LA where I could focus on what I was doing with fewer distractions than I have here."
Thorpe said his training has gone well in the United States, but he still decided it was time to call it a career.
"It's a very dark question for me. Swimming has been a security blanket," he said. But, "I haven't balanced out my life. I realized I had to prioritize other things and had to let swimming take a back seat - I'm looking at the next phase."
Thorpe and American Michael Phelps are acknowledged as the stars of the sport.
The Australian swimmer, nicknamed "Thorpedo," won the 200- and 400-meter freestyle events at the Athens Olympics.
He planned a yearlong break after Athens, claiming "mental fatigue" and hoping to stay fresh for major competitions down the road.
He later decided not to compete at last year's world championships in Montreal, then dropped out of the Commonwealth Games in March.
Thorpe, who won five Olympic gold medals and 11 world titles, did not entirely rule out a comeback.
"I never rule anything out, but it's not going to happen," he said as more than 100 photographers and reporters packed a hotel conference room for the announcement.
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/61929...SO1&ATT=HMA
I know Ian Thorpe hasn't been involved in swimming for a while, but he officially retired today.
Sad to see such a good swimmer leave at such a young age. At least he swims for inspiration and not just for money/medals.
well let him enjoy the rest of his life i suppose
he is still young, but it's his life and if he feels he can't go on anymore, then that's his choice. good luck to him with the rest of his life.=)
