After a tumultuous few years battling with depression, The Courier Mail claims Ian Thorpe, 33, has found love and happiness with 26 year-old model and legal student Ryan Channing.
According to the publication, the new lovers enjoyed a sun-drenched date on a luxury cruise on Sydney Harbour on Friday.
“While it is early days in relationship terms, they are smitten with one another,” a source told the newspaper.
“Over the last few weeks Ian and Ryan have been inseparable. They have been going out in public together and meeting one another’s friends, they seem really happy,” the insider added.
To his friends, Ryan openly calls the iconic Australian swimmer his boyfriend.
“He told people he was dating a swimmer and then it was revealed that it was Ian Thorpe,” a pal said.
The pair allegedly met through mutual friends, and it was said that they saw sparks from the very beginning.
What a dashing duo! Ian Thorpe and boyfriend Ryan Channing certainly make a handsome couple.
As Australia’s most successful Olympian, Ian has encountered his fair share of tough times away from his gold medal success.
He was first questioned about his sexuality from a very young age.
“That was the problem. I was asked when I was far too young and then my response was ‘I’m not,'” he explained during his coming out interview with Sir Ian Parkinson in 2014.
Since openly discussing his sexual orientation in the now infamous interview, Thorpey admitted he found the swimming pool much less daunting than the dating pool.
“It’s an absolute mess out there! I’m like, ‘Where are all the normal people?'” he told Sunday Style in November.
Congratulations on finding yourself a normal one, Thorpey!
Ian, pictured at the 2004 Olympics, and Ryan (R) met through mutual friends.
