Travels From New South Wales
Ian Thorpe
The most decorated male Australian Olympian ever
Beloved swimmer Ian Thorpe's career achievements are nothing short of phenomenal. As one of the country's most prolific and respected athletes, he has also built a reputation for himself with humility and kindness.
Ian leads Australia as the nation’s greatest Olympian ever. He boasts nine Olympic medals, including five gold medals. Outside of the Olympics, Ian has also won 11 World Championship titles (the most ever), ten gold medals from the Commonwealth Games and nine Pan Pacific titles.
Currently the world record holder for the 400m freestyle event, Ian also holds the short course world records in the 200m and 4 x 200m freestyle events. He holds the Commonwealth record in the 200m individual medley event at the 2003 Australian Championships, and again at the 2003 World Championship in Barcelona.
In recognition of his incredible career, Ian's achievements outside the pool are equally prolific. In 2001, Ian was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to sport in the 2000 Olympic Games at Sydney. He was also named Young Australian of the Year, and received the Australian Sports Medal, in 2000. A World Swimmer of the Year for four consecutive years, Ian also holds honorary Doctorates from Macquarie University and Western Sydney University.
He continues to give back to the community as an ambassador for organisations like Australian Marriage Equality, AIS and Invictus Games. He is also a patron for AIME, and a board member for ReachOut and Parley.
For his work with the Indigenous Australian community, Ian was awarded the Human Rights Medal in 2012.
Alongside sporting legend Shane Watson and international coach Dr Jacques Dallaire, Ian optimises corporate performance as a co-founder of Beon Performance.
Currently, Ian showcases his personality and sporting expertise through regular TV appearances on Seven Network, ABC, BBC and Star Sports India. He is a prolific and high-demand keynote speaker, drawing on his experiences with international competitive swimming to explore high performance, goal-setting and overcoming adversity. He is also a proud advocate for mental health and the LGBTQIA+ community.