Good Bye Ian
Another shot of Ian Thorpe retiring from swimming. Who knows whats next, swimming, Pearls, underpants…..
Written by TechStickle on November 23rd, 2006 with no comments.
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Thorpedos Away - Ian Thorpe Retires at 24
Australia’s greatest Olympian Ian Thorpe has announced his retirement from competitive swimming.
The five-time Olympic gold medallist, and multiple world record holder, has told a press conference in Sydney he is quitting the pool at the age of 24.
He told today of the dizzying heights and setbacks that marked his career as he announced that he is stopping his professional swimming career.
He said swimming was no longer at the top of his priority list, saying there were things that were important in his life.
Thorpe said he made the decision on Sunday shortly after deciding he would not compete at next year’s world championships in Melbourne.
“As of 2.53 2.57 (according to David) on Sunday afternoon I decided I would not be swimming the world championships,’’ Thorpe said.
“I also made a very difficult decision that day that I am actually going to discontine my professional swimming career.
“I’d been working towards this decision for quite some time. I’m a 24-year-old, and I’m only just 24 as well.
“I’m young enough to still see the new challenges and be able to accept them within my life.
“I’m also old enough now that I realise all of these accomplishments that have got me to this place in my life.
“I also know there is a lot of people out there that want me to keep swimming.
“I only hoped that I wanted to swim half as much as other people want me to.’’
Thorpe is regarded as one of the greatest swimmers of all time after winning 11 world titles, five Olympic gold medals and setting 13 individual long-course world records. (Source:smh.com.au and AAP)
Written by TechStickle on November 21st, 2006 with no comments.
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Why Do We Want Ian Thorpe to be Gay?
Ian Thorpe has hit the headlines again with questions hanging over his sexuality. Why is it that we so badly want him to be gay?
By Roo from queerday.com.auqueerplanet.com.au
Posted Monday, August 21, 2006
So it’s back, like a nasty bout of herpes, Ian Thorpe’s sexuality is being questioned yet again. For years now rumours have surrounded the swimming superstar about his sexuality. Maybe it’s because he attended every swimming event at the Sydney Gay Games? Maybe it’s because he has his own range of pearl necklaces, his own fragrance or maybe it’s because he loves fashion and has his own underwear brand?
“People can think whatever they want to think and people will tell you black and blue that I am gay,” he says. “There is no basis for what they are saying. It’s no big deal because that doesn’t affect any part of my life.
“I don’t care what people are saying in that regard because it doesn’t mean when I get in my car I worry about what’s going to happen today or am I being followed. It’s not embarrassing.”
It was after the 2002 Gay Games that Ian went on ABC’s radio National to deny the rumors of his sexuality, while still saying “Not that there is anything wrong with that”, but lately he has taken to gracefully sidestepping the question, neither admitting nor denying.
So why do we want him to be gay so bad? Maybe because we need have a need for some good, solid gay role models. Young gay people have a very limited range of international celebrities who are out and who model to them what it means to be same sex attracted. They have Elton John, tired, old, flambouyant and grumpy with a hair transplant, they have George Michael, who says random toilet sex is ok even though he is in a “committed” relationship. Darren Hayes recently came out and he certainly does make a good role model for young guys who have ambitions of becoming pop stars, what about those who don’t relate to that? There’s Ian Roberts. Rough and tumble but hardly an international figure.
So we come back to Ian Thorpe. He is young and relates well to young people, he is successful without having to go on some reality TV show, he is able to display a healthy balance of a dedicated sportsman and a creative, sensitive man. He would be the ideal role model for a young guy or girl who is same sex attracted, but who don’t relate to the Queer Eye/Queer as Folk stereotypes that we are told represents our community. Suicide rates for same sex attracted teens is alarmingly high. Most of them occur because they don’t feel accepted by thier families, by society and because they don’t understand or relate to the stereotypes they see.
Written by TechStickle on September 22nd, 2006 with 1 comment.
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