Maria Sharapova

2004. Athens, 2004. 2003. Sydney, 2000. Sharapova studies via correspondence on the internet with the Keystone High School home schooling program and has a liking for sociology. He has recently bought a $2.9 million house in Caringbah, a southern suburb of Sydney. By reaching her second Birmingham final in 2005, Sharapova has a 17-match winning streak on grass (dating back to June 2004). The race attracted unprecedented media attention in Australia, and Thorpe's victory made him one of the most celebrated Australian athletes of all time.

However, Sharapova, Bollettieri, and Kournikova all reject the comparison. Thorpe's performances in Sydney and Athens have made him a national hero in Australia, a country which reveres sporting stars. His victory in the 200 metres at Athens pitted him against American swimming phenomenon Michael Phelps, Sydney gold medallist Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands and his fellow Australian Grant Hackett. She is often compared to Anna Kournikova, also a Russian Bollettieri student and model. Instead, his other enthusiasm appears to be fashion, as an ambassador for Armani clothing and his own range of designer jewellery. However, she says she does not want to overdo these activities, preferring to focus on her tennis. His lack of interest in (and aptitude for) other sports is well-known. She enjoys fashion and is known to read celebrity magazines. He is quiet, mild-mannered, thoughtful, articulate, but extremely guarded in his statements, and he reportedly makes considerable efforts to insulate himself from the media when preparing for and during important events.

A 6 foot blonde, Sharapova is regarded by many as possessing a natural beauty and figure and has done some modeling, having signed a contract in November 2003 with IMG Models. Away from the pool, Thorpe in many ways defies the stereotype of Australian sportspeople. In the process she also became the first Russian ever to win that tournament. After some deliberation, the second qualifier, Craig Stevens, withdrew from the event, and Thorpe accepted the offered place. In 2004, Sharapova became the second youngest Wimbledon women's champion in the Open Era (after Martina Hingis) by defeating defending two-time champion Serena Williams in straight sets (6-1, 6-4). Australia's Olympic selection rules allow for a qualifier to stand down, and for another swimmer to be selected in their place. At age five or six, at a tennis clinic in Moscow, Sharapova was spotted by Martina Navratilova, who urged her parents to get her serious coaching in the United States. He was disqualified from the 400 m freestyle (his best event) after making a false start.

At the age of three, Sharapova moved with her family to the resort town of Sochi, beginning to play tennis at the age of four, using a racquet given to her by Yevgeny Kafelnikov's father. In late March 2004 Thorpe competed in the qualification events. Sharapova was born in Nyagan, Siberia, the following year. Thorpe's preparations for the Athens Olympics were clouded by controversy. Her parents are originally from Gomel, Belarus, but moved to Russia in 1986 in the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. He has however, been able to maintain a trademark six-beat kick to power away to victory in the closing stages of races, attributed to his unnaturally large feet. Maria Yuryevna Sharapova (Russian: Мари́я Ю́рьевна Шара́пова; born April 19, 1987) is a Russian professional tennis player. At 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) and 105 kg (231 lb), he is very large for a swimmer and many thought that as he matured and continued to grow he would be unable to maintain his performance as a teenager.

2005: Miami (lost to Kim Clijsters). Thorpe's success is based on a strong work ethic, attention to detail, flawless technique, mental strength, and a physiology suited to swimming. 2004: Zurich (lost to Alicia Molik). In total, he has broken world records (either individually or as part of a relay team) 22 times. WTA Player Service. Thorpe has also pushed Australian relay teams to unprecedented success, anchoring the winning 4x100 and 4x200 freestyle relay teams in Sydney, the first time the United States had ever been beaten in the events. WTA Most Improved Player of the Year. He has been nicknamed "Thorpedo" by the Australian press for his swimming prowess.

WTA Player of the Year. His dominance has broadened to include the 200 and 400 metre freestyle (at which he holds the world record), and he is one of the fastest 100 metre freestylers in the world. WTA Newcomer of the Year. Since 1998 Thorpe has completely dominated the 400 metre freestyle event, winning the event at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games, the 2001 Fukuoka World Championships (at which he won a total of six gold medals), and again in Athens. He also excelled in the 200 metre freestyle and the 200 metre butterfly. He came second to another Australian teenager, Grant Hackett, in the 400 metre freestyle, beginning a rivalry which has continued ever since.

Thorpe made his first impact in 1997, when he was selected at 14 for the Australian team at the Pan Pacific competition in Fukuoka, Japan. Instead, he followed his sister, Christina, into competitive swimming. Although Thorpe's father, Ken, excelled as a cricketer, Ian did not have the same ability. Thorpe was born in Milperra, in the western suburbs of Sydney, and was educated at East Hills High School.

Ian James Thorpe (born October 13, 1982), Australian swimmer, is regarded as one of the greatest middle-distance swimmers of all time after winning the 200 and 400 metre freestyle races at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. He has won five Olympic gold medals, more than any other Australian. Bronze : Men's 100 freestyle (48.56). Silver : Men's 4 x 200 m freestyle relay (7:07.46). Gold : 200 metre freestyle (1:44.71) - Olympic Record.

Gold : 400 metre freestyle (3:43.10). Silver : 4 x 100 metre medley relay (3:35.27). Gold : 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay (7:7.05). Gold : 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay (3:13.67).

Gold : 400 metre freestyle (3:40.59). Silver : 200 metre freestyle (1:45.83).