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 that outperforms #3 Katie Ledecky's distance style in terms of technical impact. 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—a feat 50% longer than the average top swimmer's record reign.