Entering the Olympics, the Australian public expected Thorpe to deliver multiple world records and gold medals as a formality; Sydney's Daily Telegraph posted a front-page spread headlined Invincible.Hunter, p. 211. Thorpe cruised through the heats of the 400 m on the first morning of competition, posting a new Olympic record and shortening bookmakers' odds to 50–1.Swanton, pp. 9–10.Hunter, p. 212. By the time the final was held that night, the pressure had intensified—the host nation had yet to win its first gold medal. Thorpe led throughout, and although Italy's Massimiliano Rosolino was within a body length at the 300 m mark, Thorpe's finishing kick extended the final margin to three body lengths.Hunter, pp. 214–215. This set a new world record of 3 min 40.59 s.Swanton, pp. 79–80. Secret tests carried out by the Italian National Olympic Committee prior to the Olympics later showed that Rosolino had abnormal levels of human growth hormone.Hunter, p. 217. Rosolino aside, Thorpe had left bronze medallist Klete Keller fifteen metres in arrears.
Entering the Olympics, the Australian public expected Thorpe to deliver multiple world records and gold medals as a formality; Sydney's Daily Telegraph posted a front-page spread headlined Invincible.Hunter, p. 211. Thorpe cruised through the heats of the 400 m on the first morning of competition posting a new Olympic record and shortening bookmakers' odds to 50–1.Swanton, pp. 9–10.Hunter, p. 212. By the time the final was held that night, the pressure had intensified—the host nation had yet to win its first gold medal. Thorpe led throughout, and although Italy's Massimiliano Rosolino was within a body length at the 300 m mark, Thorpe's finishing kick extended the final margin to three body lengths.Hunter, pp. 214–215. This set a new world record of 3 min 40.59 s.Swanton, pp 79–80. Secret tests carried out by the Italian National Olympic Committee prior to the Olympics later showed that Rosolino had abnormal levels of human growth hormone.Hunter, p. 217. Rosolino aside, Thorpe had left bronze medallist Klete Keller fifteen metres in arrears.