POOL'S CLOSED

DUE TO RETIREMENT (and aids)

Quote:

Thorpe announces retirement

Swimming superstar Ian Thorpe announced his retirement at a press conference in Sydney this lunchtime.

"As of 2:53 on Sunday afternoon I decided that I would not be swimming the world championships (next year)," the five-time Olympic gold medal winner said.

"I also made another very difficult decision - I decided that I was actually going to discontinue my professional swimming career."

...

Thorpe described swimming as a "security net" and a "safety blanket" and said he felt he had not "balanced out" his life as well as he should.

"I realised I had to prioritise other things, and had let swimming take a little bit back seat at this stage," he said.

Thanks for the thrills, mate.

Here's hoping the AIS proves me wrong, but we're basically fucked for swimming come Beijing, aren't we?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Pretty much. But maybe Thorpie's thrilling acting career or whatever he wants to get into next will inspire whoever we have left to greatness! Little billboards by the poolside, a thumbs up, some victory!

There's nowhere I can't reach.

We still have a strong female swimming team, but yeah there's pretty much nothing going for the male team.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.