Australia's Ian Thorpe announces retirement

SYDNEY, Nov 21 (Reuters) Australia's world and Olympic champion Ian Thorpe announced his retirement from competitive swimming at the age of 24 today.

Thorpe told a packed news conference broadcast live on Australian television that he had decided to quit because swimming was no longer the most important thing in his life.

''I decided ... I was going to discontinue my professional swimming career,'' Thorpe said. ''I'm very proud of this decision I have made today.'' Thorpe is regarded as one of the greatest swimmers of all time after winning 11 world titles, five Olympic gold medals and setting 13 individual long-course world records.

Worn down by the constant grind of training, Thorpe took a year off after winning the 200 metres and 400m freestyle titles at the 2004 Athens Olympics but his comeback plans were thwarted by illness and waning motivation.

REUTERS DKS PM0656