| abstract | - Gennadi Touretski guided Russia's four-time Olympic gold medal-winner Alex Popov. Ian Thorpe described Touretski as one of the best coaches in the world, saying he is "always thinking and is innovative with his training techniques looking for improvements." Touretski, 61, was based at the Australian Institute of Sport for 10 years from 1992, where he coached Popov and Michael Klim of Australia (also known as ) File:Flag of Australia.svg . "When I first heard about Ian returning to swimming I was pleased for him and I was also pleased for Australian swimming," Touretski said in a statement. "We all know that he left the sport at a young age, and having seen him over the last couple of days I have no doubt that he still has plenty to offer the sport, and plenty to achieve from a personal perspective." Thorpe first earned international attention as a teenager in 1998 at the world championships and Commonwealth Games. At the 2000 Olympics in Sidney, he won three gold medals -- all in world record times -- and two silver medals, and then won six gold medals at the 2001 world championships. Between 1999 and 2002, Thorpe broke 13 long-course world records. But after winning the 200- and 400-meter freestyle gold medals at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, his career faded.
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