Ian The Thorpedo Thorpe

In the past, Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe has expressed doubt about the sport's being drug-free, but his latest comments drew a heated response from FINA, the international governing body of swimming. "For anyone to think that they're swimming at a clean Olympics, they'd be naive," Thorpe, who won three gold medals at the 2000 Sydney Games, told an Australian TV network. "Of course I've swum against athletes that have been on drugs."

In the past, Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe has expressed doubt about the sport's being drug-free, but his latest comments drew a heated response from FINA, the international governing body of swimming. "For anyone to think that they're swimming at a clean Olympics, they'd be naive," Thorpe, who won three gold medals at the 2000 Sydney Games, told an Australian TV network. "Of course I've swum against athletes that have been on drugs."

MEN * OVERVIEW--Thorpedo. It's the perfect nickname for the perfect Australian champion. Thorpe, 17, is the tailor-made national hero-- talented, humble and caring. When he set his first world record, the teen promptly captured the hearts of the country by donating his five-figure bonus to charity, splitting it between two organizations. When national Coach Don Talbot declared Thorpe already was the swimmer of the century, the kid objected.

He says all the right things the right way. You are thinking Michael Jordan or Wayne Gretzky or Alex Rodriguez, those vintage models of the superstar athlete in the clothes of a cool corporate pitchman. Swim star Ian Thorpe, winner of three gold medals and two silver at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, seems to slot neatly into that role, delivering sound bites almost on cue.

He says all the right things the right way. You are thinking Michael Jordan or Wayne Gretzky or Alex Rodriguez, those vintage models of the superstar athlete in the clothes of a cool corporate pitchman. Swim star Ian Thorpe, winner of three gold medals and two silver at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, seems to slot neatly into that role, delivering sound bites almost on cue.

Remember the Citizens Against Breast-Feeding group that demonstrated at the Democratic National Convention? Well, you were correct if you were skeptical about the group, especially the member who said in a radio interview that, because his mother had nursed him, he was obsessed with oral gratification and needed to smoke two packs of cigarettes a day.

MEN * OVERVIEW--Thorpedo. It's the perfect nickname for the perfect Australian champion. Thorpe, 17, is the tailor-made national hero-- talented, humble and caring. When he set his first world record, the teen promptly captured the hearts of the country by donating his five-figure bonus to charity, splitting it between two organizations. When national Coach Don Talbot declared Thorpe already was the swimmer of the century, the kid objected.