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Australia issues stamps commemorating Thorpe's gold medal

SYDNEY, Australia - Australia issued stamps commemorating swimming sensation Ian Thorpe, who smashed his own world record to win gold in the men's 400-meter freestyle on Sept. 16. The 17-year-old world champion clocked 3 minutes, 40.59 seconds to slice 0.74 second off the world mark he set at the Australian Olympic trials in May. Thorpe returned to the pool later in the day to swim the anchor leg as Australia won the men's 4x100-meter freestyle relay in a new world record of 3:13.67, edging out the U.S. team by just 0.19 second.