Thorpe took her advice, travelling the world to mix with the rich and famous
and indulging in his passion for fashion, but his performances began to suffer.
He stopped breaking world records and almost missed the chance to defend his
Olympic 400m title when he slipped off the blocks and was disqualified for a
false start during the Australian trials.
He was reinstated when his friend and team mate Craig Stevens gave up his
place to Thorpe and duly went on to win the gold in Athens.
He won a second gold in Athens when he beat Pieter van den Hoogenband and
Michael Phelps in the 200m final billed as the "race of the century" and a
bronze in the 100m in what was his final international appearance.
He took a year off to recharge his batteries for the long road to China but a
combination of illness and the realisation that swimming was no longer his main
priority led him to early retirement.
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