The world changed 22 years ago when two planes hit the World Trade Center in New York, and of swimming’s all-time greats was almost a victim of the attacks.
Ian Thorpe was in the city on the morning of September 11, 2001, and was planning on being at the World Trade Center (WTC) when the first plane hit.
The five-time Olympic champion went for an early morning run and was headed to the WTC’s observation deck when he realized he had forgotten his camera. He returned to his hotel room to get it when the attacks occurred.
“I went down there on the morning of 9/11,” Thorpe said, according to Compete Network. “It was early in the morning and I went for a run. I grabbed a coffee and walked back to my hotel room, and literally in that period of time the planes hit. It was a very, very close call.”
“I had a friend, Michelle, who was staying with me,” he said. “She was the one who was going to get up and go for a run. I was telling her to wake me up because we were going to go to the World Trade Center together.
“I said we could go up the World Trade Center in the morning and then you do the Empire State Building at night. But in the end, I was the one that went down there. With things like that, you realize it’s fate. Some things were meant to be, and I realize I am very lucky.”
Thorpe, who was just 18 at the time, was in NYC to pursue his interests in fashion and talk about his recent swimming success, including making an appearance on The Jay Leno Show.
The now 40-year-old was less than two months removed from a standout performance at the 2001 World Championships in Fukuoka, where he won six gold medals and set four world records in the men’s 200 free (1:44.06), 400 free (3:40.17), 800 free (7:39.16) and on Australia’s 800 free relay (7:04.66).
That came on the heels of a memorable Olympic debut on home soil in Sydney, where he won gold in the men’s 400 free, anchored the Aussie men’s 400 free relay home to victory in epic fashion, and earned a third gold in the 800 free relay while adding additional silvers in the 200 free and 400 medley relay.
Following his brush with fate in September 2001, Thorpe went on to find continued success in the sport, highlighted by his performance at the 2004 Olympics in Athens where he won the Race of the Century in the men’s 200 free over defending champion Pieter van den Hoogenband and American phenom Michael Phelps, and he also defended his title in the 400 free with a tight win over countryman Grant Hackett.
Thorpe, who also won silver in the 800 free relay and bronze in the 100 free at the 2004 Games, claimed three more World Championship titles in 2003 and set a world record of 3:40.08 in the 400 free at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, a mark only eclipsed in 2009 by Germany’s Paul Biedermann (by .01) in a super-suit. Thorpe’s time remains the fastest in history in a textile suit.
Thorpe ultimately retired in 2006 after withdrawing from the Commonwealth Games due to bronchitis, and made a comeback attempt in 2011 with his eye on the 2012 Olympics in London, though he fell shy at the Australian Olympic Trials.
He has continued to make a positive impact since retirement by being an advocate for same-sex marriage in Australia, and has been open about his struggles with depression, the difficulty he had navigating life as an elite athlete as a gay man, and in 2017, he presented a two-part documentary to shed light on the effects of bullying.
According to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the September 11 attacks left 2,977 dead across New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania.
Definitely the 200 free was NOT the race of the century. Not even close.
It was definitely one of them. Amazing race.
Agree. Great race. At same games the W 400 IM was pretty good too. Closer than M 200 free.
The closeness of the result wasn’t what made it the race of the century. It was the pedigree of the swimmers involved. Pieter VDH was the defending Olympic Champ, Thorpe was the WR holder. Phelps was up and coming and would be the future WR holder. Grant Hackett was the gold medalist in the 1500 and no slouch in the 200.
hy
I remember reading about this back in 2001. I just found that article. (it basically says the same as above)
https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/forgotten-camera-kept-thorpe-from-being-atop-world-trade-center-tuesday-morning/
Interesting article but I’m not sure how he went from “just 18 at the time” to “now 41-year-old” if it was 22 years ago to the day
leap year
Holy hell
I believe there was a story that Ian went back to him room after hearing about the planes hitting and had a camera with him and wanted to go down to film what was going on.
This isn’t funny. This is an article that comments like this will not be tolerated on. Have some respect for the men and women who lost their lives on 9/11.
It’s not funny and my apologies I misquoted what was exactly said he did go get his camera but this was to go on the way there before finding out. Here’s the quote from ESPN, “Ian Thorpe of Australia, winner of three gold and two silver Olympic swimming medals at Sydney, was on his way to the observation deck on top of the south tower when he suddenly remembered he had left his camera at the hotel. When he got back to his room, he clicked on the TV and learned that the first hijacked plane had crashed into the north tower.”
Lots of people filmed 9/11, including the mainstream media. This is standard practice when it comes to recording major events, be they bad or good. Pointing out that fact is not making light of the victims of 9/11 or any other tragedy.
Talk about overreacting.
What exactly are you so upset about?
Let’s refrain from making remarks like this on this post as someone who lives in NY, thanks!
Is it possible that you misread PFA’s comment? I don’t think there’s anything offensive in there.
Thank you. I thought i was losing my ability to comprehend the written word.
I think maybe NYSTRONG is trying to be funny. His follow-up posts lead me to believe (hope?) that he is, because if not, I am concerned and maybe his parents should take his phone away for a few days.
It’s people like NYSTRONG that make me want to stop reading comments, as everyone these days appear to be all wound up looking to pick fights.
Get outta here jabroni!