If you liked this video, you will LOVE this other one. It is Everything You Need To Know To Swim Better: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/sKebmdN4uKmZhmw.htmlsi=zBvzruAN9vxGst8J I didn't mention Thorpe's swimsuit because I made a whole video about it! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/atRhppdorL3MnX0.html

That comparison in the number of strokes is absolutely mind blowing.

Also worth noting perhaps that Ian Thorpe was a 17-year old boy at the Sydney Olympics, making his achievements all the more extraordinary.

Ian Thorpe was the most effortless swimmer I've ever seen. He didn't waste a single movement, it looked like the water was pushing him and he was just there.

I remember the first time I saw Thorpe. I was 11 and he was 14 and I had just started swimming for a new club in Padstow, Sydney. All of us were cramped into a couple of lanes and Thorpe had his own lane to himself- even at 14 he was already 6”3 with a massive chest and feet- just by watching him practise I could tell he was special

An interesting fact about Ian Thorpe is that he was in New York on 9/11 and on his way to the World Trade Center when he realized that he had forgotten his camera at the hotel and so turned back. That almost certainly saved his life.

Pretty sure his shoe size of 17 helped his kick. One of the largest feet swimming world has ever seen. He also had very strong legs and flipper-like feet added to his performance. Overall, strongest kick of all time in the game.

As a swim coach of 35 years, I couldn’t agree more with this. Sadly, too many of my colleagues fail to understand the importance of glides and stroke counts in Freestyle😩😥

The difference in stroke count between Thorpe and the second place swimmer is absolutely striking.

Thorpe was just brilliant and deserved all his successes.

When I used to train we were always advised to study Thorpes technique. It was the underwater phase that I took most from. Not because it was particularly different or controversial but because it highlighted how much difference an excellent turn can make. He gained so much ground from them. Phelps won more but Thorpe and Hooganband were my inspirations

Amazing to see the sport evolve. 20 years later and even Thorpe's streamline looks amateur. Then Phelps made the dolphin kick a game changer. Then... I don't know, they all just seem superhuman now :D

0:47 Of course he broke the world record. That was actually Zlatan in disguise.

he could afford to glide longer because of his insane kick. his kicking training sessions were legendary for their speed.

One of the most impressive swimming feats ever (IMHO) is Thorpe’s closure in the 400m relay in Sydney 2000. Gary Hall has a half body advantage over him in the last turn and is stroking fast, but Thorpe just digs and slides, and touches first by a few milliseconds. Amazing to watch!!!

To this day Ian Thorpe still has the most beautiful swimming style of any swimmer ever, just effortless and smooth.

Ian Thorpe has such a huge natural talent and a beautiful stroke. A joy to watch him in the water. Reeeach and Gliiiiiiide...Love it!

There were always "Gliders" and "Paddle steamers" in swimming and still there are...Thorpe was just the best at doing it and for me still is the most aestethic swimmer of all times...but he didn't invent something new, everything he did was well-known, Thorpe just mastered perfection...

Phelps vs Thorpe vs van den Hoogenband - Men's Freestyle 200m at Athens 2004 | kzfaq.info/get/bejne/aL5gnMtmzrOun5c.html

Ian Thorpe is the unsung hero of swimming. He is a stunning Australian!!!

Absolutely amazing. I have an relative in Australia and he explained to me the way they swim and why so it makes sense to me but looking at Mr.Thorpe swimming is an art form

His efficiency was top notch. He was similar to Popov, the way their bodies would just glide through the water. Everyone else always looked like they were doing so much more work than those guys, yet they continued to beat everyone.

Zlatan‘s Brother from down under, fantastic swimmer!

Ehh, the Thorpedo. Bloody Aussie legend. This was a really well made video. A great mixture of technique analysis and story telling. New subscriber.

It was a massive change to swimming technique. The shark suit on a big swimmer makes a big difference. And being huge helps hugely. Ideal shape: short legs, long torso, long arms, vast hands, big feet with flexible ankles. You can be world class young teen but, if you don't grow big enough with the other physical features, you can't progress - so take up triathlon or cycling

Awesome video, being a swimmer kid in the 2000's (and later a D1 swimmer) the Thorpedo definitely changed distance stroke for years to come. After the 2000 Olympics coaches everywhere started paying attention to stroke count. Hah this also meant more counting in practice.... a memory I would sooner forget than remember lol.

I've never cared much for swimming before, but somewhow I just can't stop watching these videos, they are so interesting

I am mostly a backstroker and I am short for a swimmer, so I have a natural disadvantage. However, I start to come into the race as a freestyler over 800m to 1500m. I have always (even before Thorpe) had a natural inclination to leave my right arm out in front as I breathe (I am a left side breather) which causes my left arm to come over the top unnaturally fast. It's just the way I swim freestyle. I have had so many coaches try to change it, but it just doesn't feel right and trying to change has never resulted in better freestyle performance. I don't have a massive kick like Thorpe and I would average about 40 strokes per lap, like Rossalino. Remember, I am around 10 inches shorter than these swimmers (Who therefore have significantly longer arms and better natural glide - plus they are all far stronger than me). So for all the coaches trying to change my freestyle, perhaps I was onto something 45 years ago, which hadn't met its time yet. I am a great believer in allowing a good swimmer to just find their own natural style. Whether it's Michael Klim's straight arm technique or Thorpe's beautiful high elbow glide technique. Grant Hackett also seemed to go to a greater glide in his stroke after Thorpe came along.

It was your channel that encouraged me to swim with a better technique. I could swim for my whole life, however I have studied how to "swim properly" from your videos. I'm glad that this exciting short video appeared in my feed through all the KZfaq algorithms. Take care, mate.

Thanks coach, this is by far one of the best classes.

Man, I remember watching these races, they were phenomenal ! The starting lineup of the century right there!!!

I was living in Sydney (Manly Beach) at this time and was fortunate enough to to have attended several of these events including the 400m finals. I remember talking to an American that was a trainer with the US Olympic Swim Team and mentioned that the ‘Thorpedo’ was going to be the guy to beat for several years. He said with complete confidence, ‘Nope, we have a kid coming up that is going to dominate for a decade’. That was the first time I heard Michael Phelps’ name. Ian Thorpe was amazing watch in person in 2000, but Michael was still on another level.

What a good video! Thank you very much! Remembering these great swimmers!

I still can't wrap my mind around how fast Thorpe was in 2000 when he 17.

I love his style and the relaxed rhythm. I have always wondered about the upward curve in his body line from the side and wether this is to keep the legs raised. Also his head position at one point in his breathing cycle is really looking forward for a moment.

This is some top tier editing lol thank uu!!

Your music taste is great! Thanks for the videos! Always appreciated it!

No one ever did it for me like Thorpedo...never does and never will....he is not only a maestro but also an artist....still miss you Thorpie!

Great video thanks! Ian Thorpe is almost underrated as the swimming genius his was. Definitely a better middle and long distance swimmer than MP. His technique changed freestyle forever. All about streamlining and the glide. I can only imagine how fast Mark Spitz would have been of he’d swum like this!

Thorpe….the best swimmer ever ❤️

Brilliant. Thank you for bringing such motivational and educational videos.

This video looks sharp!! Congrats!

This is an amazing video. Thank you for posting.

Really informative. Keep it up

Great swimmers can 'feel' the water. Thanks for the vid. Top notch!

I knew Ian around this time and I saw him break that 400 metres world record in 1999 I spoke to him at training and we were even in the swam in the same pool sometimes what a trill to see your friend break a record I was in the VIP section it was a fantastic night and yes he made Sydney 2000 one the greatest experiences of my life

His suit was not made of polyurethane so it was not a banned suit. Swimmers could wear it today if they wanted. He was so talented and worked so hard but he was just different. Nobody even to this day can swim like him. To be able to swim the 100 up to the 1500 and damn near win every one or at least medal in every one is amazing. He was also 6ft 6 and 235 pounds which is a freak of nature to swim that fast at that size . Best freestyle swimmer ever.

Also worth noting the cameraman holding breath for so long under the water recording them with ease.

This got me without breath xD! So intense! This video was really cool! c:

Very good video! Thank you!!

You sir deserve 1m subs immediately.

Thank you for this video. It really helps.

This video has "finally" answered the question I've been asking a while now. "Why" do modern swimmers leave that arm in frt for so long, that the recovery arm has caught up, before the catch of the "gliding" arm? It feels so abnormal to me, to wait with that arm in frt. But this host has summed it up, at the end, by stating..."leave that arm in frt a bit longer". If it's good enuff for the "Thorpedo" then it's good enuff for me. Thank you. :)

It’s definitely different, so different that you would be inclined to say that taking fewer strokes is the secret sauce. But it won’t work out for everyone. So much depends on all the other metrics in swimming. Basically, it’s not as simple as that.

So crazy that the style changed so dramatically not long ago.

Love from india ❤️ your channel gives lots of information and techniques about swimming l loved your channel keep doing.

U make the videos interesting with all the music u mix in. It almost feels like one is watching a movie.

Winning gold is one thing, but changing a sport forever is something very few can claim. Just like the Fosbury flop in high jump, Thorpe re-defined his sport. True Aussie legend

Very informative and interesting. Thank you.

What a great production!!

Great analysis. For those of us not able to get good coaching, your videos provide invaluable insight for enjoying swimming more.

Great video! Thank you!

That season was legendary. How many amazing swimmers...

Great video I remember watching him winning all the time had no idea about the technique 👍

Thanks. Absolutely amazing

I would pay money for a full video of that '99 PanPacs 400m. It's not anywhere on the internet that I can find. He lopped 2s off the WR in that race... it's a piece of history and the people deserve to view it!

Great video. Thank you.

I just love him, my All time favorite swimmer

Great video, well done.

Imagine what he could have achieved if he could have lived his life openly and not hounded and mocked by the media and public about his sexuality. I feel like that toll on his mental health pushed him to retire early and hide away

I don't know anything about swimming, but nice to watch. Thanks for the vid.

Yeah it's cool to win medals and all but when you are an innovator, that's a real contribution. Winning is a selfish path, nothing wrong with it, but to pave a way for the future is something else.

That’s interesting. I’ve always used a glide, just cause I find it more relaxing and rhythmical, and I was a swimming instructor in the 1990s, teaching it. Had no idea it was so fast.

Ian Thorpe will ALWAYS BE MY FAVOURITE SWIMMER !!!!!!!!

Very interesting. I love watching great swimmers, because I'm so rubbish at swimming, making me admire them even more

This is an incredibly well-produced video! I'm amazed.

man the talent in that race wow

I had a book of Ian Thorpe from my dad even before I had started swimming. Never realized it was because he glided. Pretty cool

A KZfaq recommendation that was actually worth it!

Ian Thorpe is a legendary, effortless athlete who really doesn't get the credit he deserves outside of the swimming world (or at least outside of Australia), just because other swimmers won more or went down the Lochte route to notoriety.

Thank you for sharing.

The kick ! Thorpes kick game was next level

Loved this video and the historic approach. Didnt know Thorpe invented this style

wow, what a quality video, gj!

This is entertaining and educational.

Great summary for the necessity of a patient arm at front.

I mean, you made me swimming sports fan with this video man

Swimming is a sport of feel and moving with the water. Thorpe had a great feel for the water. His rhythm was amazing and he was able to kick the wave he created with his stroke to perfection. A great athlete for sure.

Very interesting video. It made me realise that I had also developed this technique, but out of pure laziness.

A cool one. Thanks.

I’d love to see a video analysis of David Popovici’s style as he seems to be having a similar impact to that of Thorpe. I’ve seen a few people criticising his technique, even though he’s breaking records.

What a shame it was with the treatment of Thorpe here in Australia. Seeing the greatest swimmer of all time (back then before Phelps) go through the ringer in the lead up to Athens (famously false started with a fellow swimmer giving up his place to Thorpe), fending off interview after interview about his sexuality... no wonder he ended up hating the sport. Breaks my heart every time I'm reminded that he retired when he should have been at his physical peak. What could have been if Phelps had to battle Thorpe in Beijing, especially with Thorpe in a non-textile supersuit like everyone else was wearing at the time.

Comment for the algo. Cool video Thorpe's early high elbow catch is incredible.

I loved the editing

After watching this race and his style, I made it a priority on my stroke to enter the water as gently as possible to avoid splashing and drag etc... it took quite some time to develop certain muscles but it paid off.

when I was a agonistic swimmer in the 80's ( :) ) this idea to slip more efficiently in the water while trying to reduce the frequency of the strokes and save energy was already known in all the four styles (I was breaststroke swimmer), as it is in some way automatic as soon as the swimmer becomes stronger and faster. The problem is the need to have an excellent hydrodynamic to slip (the trim swim and the suite) and very strong legs to maintain the thrust during the no-traction phase of the stroke... and this makes the difference between Thorpe and the others. Leg's muscles are very strong but also consume a lot of energy because the movement (the kick) is not so natural and a swimmer may easily "collapse" if he abuses of them. In addition to keep the body balanced in the water arms and legs must move synchronously. This means that if frequency is decreased legs oscillation (the kick) is slower and also the thrust is less.... going slower. last but not least if the swimmer is not in front the waves created by the others disturb more the trim swim and increasing effort to correct it and resistance in the water (ref. laminar flow vs turbulent flow) This to say that this technique is not for all.

1:48 wow, you can really see how smooth his swimming compared to others

I remember watching *The Thorpedo.* ♥♥♥

Nice, I always wondered where this glide technique came from. Thanks! Now, about fly, if the kick is so powerful, has anyone tried a 3 beat fly kick instead of the standard two? What would happen?

thank You 👍👍👍