"If I put everything into it,
I can't lose. I mightn't win in terms of gold medals, but I will win my own
personal battle. And that's what it's all about."
Ian Thorpe in his preparation for Sydney.
"I don't know if it is an advantage or a huge disadvantage that can be very hard to overcome and overwhelming." Thorpe on the home town crowd.
"This is the best day of my
life, the best hours of my life, the best minutes of my life."
Ian Thorpe the night he won gold in the 400m freestyle and 4 X 100m freestyle
relay, breaking the world records in both.
"When I finished the race I
didn't know what to do. I just felt the sheer energy being put inside of me
when I touched the wall and I turned around and realised I'd won the event and
had become the Olympic champion."
Ian after the 400m freestyle final where he won gold.
"I felt sort of confused"
Thorpe after winning the 400m freestyle
"I'm so glad I was a part of
if. I knew Gary Hall was in front, but I wasn't going to let the team down."
Thorpe after swimming the closing leg of the 4 X 100m freestyle.
