Ian Thorpe

Ian Thorpe, Australia's 'Thorpedo,' won 5 Olympic gold medals at the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Games and set an impressive 13 individual long-course world records. His signature 400m freestyle was not only dominant but also innovative, using a long-body technique. At 24, he retired early but was named Australian of the Year in 2002, and his 400m freestyle world record stood for over a decade.