Ian Thorpe
World record holder Ian Thorpe waves to spectators before the men's 200 metres freestyle semi-final of the Australian Olympic team swimming trials at the Sydney Aquatic Centre in this March 28, 2004 file photo. Thorpe is in a Sydney hospital fighting a "serious" infection and is unlikely to swim competitively again, his manager told Australian media late on April 8, 2014. The five-times Olympic champion had contracted "two bugs" after undertaking a series of shoulder surgeries, manager James Erskine told Australian Associated Press Reuters

Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe does not regret coming out in July as gay, he only wished he did it sooner. As for the rumors about him and Ricky Martin, the swimmer says they are not true.

Announced as GQ's Man of Influence and unveiled as the cover boy during a VIP event at the Ivy Ballroom in Sydney on Wednesday night, Ian talks of what he really thinks of being a "man of influence." For him, he is not comfortable about it at all, never mind the fact that he is a five-time Olympic gold medalist. Even though he's used to being admired for his swimming chops and modeling gigs, he was never one to love the attention of many people, watching him what he does and says, let alone being a role model.

One thing he is not uncomfortable with now is embracing his sexual orientation. He came out to Michael Parkinson back in July and now says to GQ that he wished he was not too afraid to have come out even sooner. 'I'm a little bit ashamed that I didn't come out earlier, that I didn't have the strength to do it," he tells GQ. He said he was not strong enough then to break the convenient lie that he was living in.

When he came out to Parkinson, he said he had to live a lie for quite some time. He also said he did not reveal he's gay earlier because he personally could not accept it at first, and fear that his own country would not like it. He said he went through a difficult time accepting himself, saying he did not want to be gay but still found himself one at the end of the day. He also feared judgment from his family, his friends, and the nation.

Speaking to News.com.au on the same event, Ian Thorpe said there's no truth to the rumors about him and Ricky Martin. He said he's currently not seeing anyone and they were not even friends when the reports broke out. "I've spoken to him a few times and that's it," shared the swimmer.