The idols Carl Lewis and Michael Jordan, the allergy to chlorine, the 23 world records broken. The story of the rise and early retirement of the Australian champion, passing through the crossroads of his life …
Now that he turns forty and has been out of the pool dripping with glory and medals for quite a while, Ian Thorpe will be able to line up the lives he has lived and will be satisfied. At 15 he became world champion, from 16 to 20 he had shattered 23 world records, at 24 he had already retired, nauseated by everything and too much chlorine drunk ever since – as a child – he had started swimming in tow with his older sister Christina. The girl had broken her wrist, the family doctor had advised them to go to the pool for re-education, and the parents – former cricketer Ken and former netball player Margaret – had seen fit to do a double subscription, one to Christina and one to little Ian.
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