It's the Simon LeBon syndrome. Don't most Brits age a hundred years right on their 26th birthdays? By comparison, I'd say Mr. Thorpe is looking pretty good. He might have chosen some more flattering swim trunks, but at least he can point to all those Olympic pictures and ask the Daily Mail writer, "Did YOU ever look this good?"

Yes, but did you hear? He's been outed for the umpteenth time in the Aussie press, but this time they've attached him to a Brazilian swimmer boyfriend, Daniel Montes.

We all put on a few pounds when we're happy and in love…

http://www.thesword.com/index......seted.html

Um… I'm pretty sure 90% of adult males would be very, very happy to look that good without a shirt on.

Does he look as good in a (swim)suit as when he was an Olympic athlete? Um, no. But I actually think he looks better in street clothes now than before. His face was weird when he was skinny – now that it's filled out a bit, it looks better. Not a horrible trade off. Plus, I bet it's fun not to have to swim 7 days a week and actually *be* an Olympian athlete. I like sports as much as the next bloke, but doing it recreationally is much, much more fun.

99.8%

Fuck, is he really only 26??? To me, I thought he looked in this 40s.

PUT DOWN THE BAG OF BUNS AND STEP AWAY FROM THE BAG.

It's only gay men who think every guy should look like a perfect muscle queen every moment of every year of his life…….wake up, go to middle america and pull up some shirts…

@tallskin:

Get a grip A hole!

@Chris: No, Chris, we don’t all think every guy should be a muscle queen, but to get that fat is just disgusting.

Now let’s have all the fatties chime in.

But the real question is would you still hit it? And of course the answer is yes.

Thing is, being that good beforehand, he'll be able to whip himself back into shape faster than *any* commenter to this post… repressed jealousy anyone?

However, to be *strictly* honest, the Brit press didn't call him a whale. Onl;y queerty actually did. Just up there.

No wonder eating disorders are so prevalent in the gay community. He's a little heavy, but I bet he could lose it in a flash.

he got some much gay specualtion that it actually caused him to quit swimming…ridiculous….he should just take it on the chin that some gays fancy him and move on..

Looks like Ian's trunks shrunk in the (HOT) water in which he was swimming. Lucky water.

This man is not fat!

I think he looks hotter in the second picture.

You can totally pick out the pro-anas in a comment thread by the level of disgust they evince in reaction to normal-looking people.

Only Americans would not think this guy to be flabby. He is only 26
and what sex pack? I hate to tell you but most people on the planet say that if you think your overweight then just visit the U.S. and you will feel skinny.

And Ryan, you might correct your statement to 90% of American males
would want to look that good because that is not true anywhere but the United States.

For 26 he is fat!! he is carrying weight like a middle aged man. I'm 40 and have a better waistline.

a strong man in fine shape…

likely healthier than most…

put him in a nice pair of shorts that FIT and are not soggy and you'd love to have a drink with him, no?

———————————————–

This is the Daily Mail. It is the British definition of hysterical hyperbole, and pretty much universally mocked (even by its readers). Its nickname is the Daily Fail, especially in light of cryingly bad photoshops. When reading, Do Not Take Seriously.

I'm British. I know. :)

The daily Mail's average daily circulation is about 2.3 million. Not exactly representative of the British public. I'm getting pretty tired of the anti-British sentiment on this site. And as a previous commenter pointed out, the basic premise of the article is flawed, because they didn't; you did, Mr. Hauslaib.

Looks fine to me. Looks normal. It's easy to get a skewed perception of reality when you're constantly shown "perfection". Most people don't look like the Morning Goods. And thank god! It's like those before/after shots of guys who used [insert product X] to get all ripped. They always look hollowed out in the face, with sunken eyes and cheeks… It's unattractive, like Christian Bale in that one movie where he lost all that weight. The Machinist?

@alan brickman:

Alan your statement is ridiculous. Thorpe did not quit swimming because of anything having to do with being gay, etc. He was an Olympic athlete and had his success. He moved on to the next stage in his life. Whoopee. That's what most athletes do.

I thought it was funny how the comments were about whether he was gay and not how much weight he has gained. He has just let himself go.

He's out of shape. Having that kind of spread in your middle at such a young age is very unhealthy. Male heart attacks are caused by a spread in the middle. So aside from looking gross (and making him feel gross), it's a killer.

Since when is our standard of beauty supposed to be Olympic athletes? I really find it hard to understand how a bunch of people who are probably way less in shape than Ian Thorpe can slag on the guy for gaining a few pounds after dropping out of the Olympic competition circuit. Sheesh!

I don't think it would be very fulfilling to be with a guy who had to train 10 hours a day to maintain his Olympic body. New Ian is probably more fun.

@rickroberts

I can tell you it won't just be the “fatties” that will chime in about your comments.

Even those of us who are thin, work out at the gym four days a week and do everything we can to look fit and be healthy will find your comments to be insipid.

I work my ass of to have a stereotypical “great body”, but I have friends both gay and straight that look hot with some weight on them.

I understand that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but what the hell is the matter with you calling someone disgusting even if you think it is true? It is bitchy queens like you that aid in the general adverse judgment and non-acceptance of homosexuals. Maybe if superficial gays like you learn to like and accept all people as they are without judgment, then those in other sects of society will come to do the same for the LGBT community.

I know that I hate being judged for being gay, so I do my very best to not be judgmental of others. And before you say that I am being judgmental of you, explain to me how describing people as “fatties” and "disgusting" doesn't merit scorn?

Looks to me that he might be having a bit of trouble eating fewer calories now that he doesn't burn them off swimming and training every single day. Still, his calves look hot and his broad chest hasn't developed into man-boobs yet. He's still very young and, as others have posted, could probably shed a few pounds quickly just by changing his diet. Also, weren't these pictures taken during the holidays? Don't we all put on a few extra pounds eating all of those big meals?

You don't have to be some dysmorphic queen to think that the 26 year old Thorpe has gotten just a wee bit chunky.

But we can all agree his kayaking friend is "teh hotness" {is this his bf?- ed]

http://cdn.buzznet.com/media/j.....bay-03.jpg

@Steven: Another nickname is the Daily HateMail, since the paper specialises in the kind of reactionary hate-filled pot-stirring bullshit that feeds and encourages prejudice.

Enough with the anti-British stuff on here. It's going to lose you readers.

I dig the beefier Thorpe, he looks more like a rugby player now. He definitely has put on a lot of weight, but looks super hot.