World News

Ian Thorpe's Narrow Escape

Written by Joshua Smith - 13th September, 2001

--> FULL COVERAGE: America Under Attack <--

If there can be a silver lining to the suffocating cloud that has engulfed America and the world, it is in the many intimate stories of survival and heroism that have come out of the incident.

With three Australians now officially declared dead - both vacationing Qantas workers - and between 84 Aussies still missing, Ian Thorpe's survival has come as a glimmer of hope in an otherwise incomprehansible disaster.

Australia's favorite son had passed by the World Trade Center within the early hours of Tuesday, and had planned to make the journey to the observation deck high in one of the towers. Upon noting that he had forgotten his camera, he made the fortunate decision to return to his hotel room before entering the Trade Center. Upon his return to the security of his accommodation, he bore witness to the horrific smashes as they unfolded on his television, in the knowledge that he had fatefully averted disaster by minutes.

Amongst our other sporting stars who were recently present in the devastated city, John Newcombe and US Open winner Lleyton Hewitt were amongst those on the final flight out of New York.

Sadly, it is believed that some of the missing Australians were sporting fans vacationing in New York after attending the US Open. For the survivors, jubilation has quickly turned to a sense of mourning as they, along with the rest of us, experience the rollercoaster gamut of emotions.