Ian Thorpe wants the swimmer who’s matched his world title feats to also dominate a home Olympics

3 months ago 8

Singapore: Ian Thorpe says Mollie O’Callaghan’s doggedness is what makes her great and hopes she can experience the magic of competing at a home Olympics, as he did at Sydney 2000.

O’Callaghan delivered yet another commanding performance at the world swimming championships in Singapore on Thursday night, anchoring Australia’s 4x200m freestyle relay team to gold against an American outfit led by all-time great Katie Ledecky.

The win marked her 11th world championship gold medal – tying her with Thorpe for the most by an Australian swimmer at long-course world titles.

O’Callaghan has a chance on Friday evening to go past Thorpe’s Australian record when she races in the 100m freestyle final.

O’Callaghan is already in rarefied air, sitting alongside Thorpe (11) at the top of Australia’s all-time gold medal tally at the world championships, with Grant Hackett (10), Libby Trickett (8), Madi Wilson (8), Michael Klim (7) and Leisel Jones (7) rounding out those she’s surpassed or drawn level with in just three years.

Speaking to this masthead in between commentary duties for Channel 9, Thorpe congratulated O’Callaghan and outlined what makes her so special.

Mollie O’Callaghan has been the standout for Australia at the 2025 world swimming championships.

“It’s reflective of a career that’s happened very quickly from a young age,” Thorpe said. “Mollie joins a group of people around the world that are in double-digit figures for world titles, but the most exciting thing is that the likelihood of this continuing is pretty high.

“The events Mollie swims - the 100m and 200m freestyle - are two of the most competitive you can find on the program. They are the blue riband events that are highly competitive, and she is nailing it. Hats off to her and congratulations because it’s a huge achievement. This is where her story continues now. She’s creating a legacy in the sport.

“She’s doggedly determined. I think most of us have had that in our own unique way. Her skills under pressure are remarkable. That has an impact on other athletes. They know that last big turn is coming from Mollie, and they factor it into the way they race her. I look more broadly, and I am getting excited.

“I don’t believe Mollie or any athlete jumps into the pool when they’re young or makes their first national team and says, ‘I want to accomplish this many world championship gold medals because it’s more than someone else’. It doesn’t factor into what you’re doing.”

O’Callaghan, who turned 21 in April, competed at her first Olympics in Tokyo as a 17-year-old before winning her maiden world title the following year in Budapest.

She picked up 100m freestyle gold in 2022 and 2023, as well as 200m freestyle gold in 2023 and again this week.

Thorpe won 400m freestyle gold as a 15-year-old at the 1998 world championships before becoming an Australian hero at the Sydney Olympics by claiming three gold and two silver at a home Games.

Thorpe’s 11 world titles came in the 1998, 2001 and 2003 world championships. At his peak, the “Thorpedo” held individual world records in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle.

Australia’s Ian Thorpe shows off his gold medal following the men’s 400-metre freestyle swimming event at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

O’Callaghan was born in Brisbane in 2004 and will be 28 when the Olympics arrive in Australia in her home town.

“I hope to see Mollie continue for a home Olympic Games,” Thorpe said. “I want as many athletes - current ones and those who we don’t really know about - to experience that.

“The events might be slightly different, but when it comes to an Olympics at home, there’s a tremendous lure to do it. She won’t know whether she wants to for another three years.”

Australian swimming was in excellent health in 2000, and it is arguably better now, with the Dolphins consistently challenging the USA on the medal tally.

“What was amazing about the Sydney Olympics was the swimmers who stuck around for another Olympics. They were some of the biggest names swimming has produced,” Thorpe said. “Swimmers like Susie O’Neill, Kieren Perkins, Hayley Lewis and Daniel Kowalski.

“What that meant for our team was that there was a great transition to the younger swimmers in the lead up to that Olympics and then post-Games. We also had great investment in sport in the lead-up.”

“She’s part of telling a story about swimming in this country, and we continue to be successful. I love that for Mollie, and she’s potentially going to be a leader when it comes to future Olympic Games.”