Thorpe to miss 2005 World Swimming Championships
{{Byline|date=February 16, 2005 |location= Sydney}} 
Olympic and World Record holder, [[w:Ian Thorpe|Ian Thorpe]], has decided not to swim at this year's World Championships in [[w:Montreal|Montreal]], [[:Category:Canada|Canada]]. The 22 year old Australian has designated 2005 as a ''training year'' and has no intentions to compete this year in order to focus on preparations for the [[w:2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Olympics]] in [[w:Beijing|Beijing]].

His decision not to swim will leave the 400m Freestyle event open to other swimmers for the first time in seven years. The 400m has been ''his'' event since 1998 when at just 15 he took the World 400m title in [[w:Perth|Perth]], [[:Category:Australia|Australia]]. He went on to win the world title again at [[w:Fukuoka|Fukuoka]], [[:Category:Japan|Japan]] in 2001 and in [[w:Barcelona|Barcelona]], [[Spain]] in 2003.

== Sources ==

* {{source | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/swimming/4263603.stm | title= Thorpe to sit out Montreal worlds | author= | pub=BBC Sport | date= February 16, 2005}}
* {{source | url=http://sport.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,10488,1414839,00.html | title=Thorpe to miss Montreal  | author= | pub=Gaurdian Unlimited Sport | date= February 16, 2005}}
* {{source | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=4&ObjectID=10011175 | title=Thorpe taking year off  | author= | pub=The New Zealand Hearld | date= February 16, 2005}}

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[[Category:Swimming]]
[[Category:Australia]]
[[Category:Published]]
Olympic and World Record holder, Ian Thorpe, has decided not to swim at this year's World Championships in Montreal, Canada. The 22 year old Australian has designated 2005 as a training year and has no intentions to compete this year in order to focus on preparations for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

His decision not to swim will leave the 400m Freestyle event open to other swimmers for the first time in seven years. The 400m has been his event since 1998 when at just 15 he took the World 400m title in Perth, Australia. He went on to win the world title again at Fukuoka, Japan in 2001 and in Barcelona, Spain in 2003.
Swimming Australia Published