Surprise inspiration for Olympic champion's new baby name

The Aussie swimming champion, who won three Olympic gold medals, says his daughter's new name was inspired by a Sandra Bullock film.

Australia swimming legend Grant Hackett has revealed the inspiration behind his newest daughter’s name, but the inspiration is not what it seems.

The three-time Olympic gold medallist had his fourth child and second with wife Sharlene when the pair welcomed Olympia Grace Hackett in August.

The couple have Edward, who was born in January 2020, while Hackett is also the father of twins Jagger and Charlize with ex-wife Candice Alley.

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“Our little angel Olympia Grace Hackett (Oly) ️ has come into the world on the 4th of August 2023, at 1.43pm weighing 3.555kgs,” Hackett wrote on Instagram at the time. “Mum and dad are very proud (albeit mum's a bit tired) and her big bro, Edward thinks it’s pretty cool too.”

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Grant Hackett is best known for winning the 1500m freestyle gold medal twice. Picture: Allsport

He has since traded the swimming pool for the boardroom. Picture: Getty Images

"I've really enjoyed it and savoured it"

Speaking to Channel 7’s The Morning Show on Wednesday, Hackett said the two-month old was already sleeping through the night.

“I mean, I have four kids now and, out of all the babies, she has been the best one so far,” he said.

“She has been doing four or five hours over the last week or two. Very, very settled, calm sort of energy about her and just a beautiful kid. Very, very fortunate.

“And I think as you get a bit older as a dad, you are a bit more settled, right? The cries don’t stress you out as much and you are not as worried about everything, it is generally three things you have to look at.

“I have really enjoyed it and savoured it, to be totally honest.”

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Grant Hackett's new daughter Olympia showing off her big smile. Picture: Instagram

"It was nothing to do with my Olympic career"

But when the conversation moved around to her name, host Larry Emdur asked if it was a favourite of Hackett’s following his glittering swimming career, before joking: “Was Commonwealth on the list?”

Hackett won five Commonwealth gold medals across two Games, while he had three gold, three silver and a bronze medal across three Olympics.

“Commonwealth wasn’t there, not enough countries,” Hackett quipped.

“It is quite funny because I almost didn’t name her (Olympia) because of that.

“We actually really like the name. So Sharlene and I were watching a movie, it was actually a Sandra Bullock movie, and there was a strong little girl in there named Olympia.

“We actually liked the name Grace, initially, and we were talking and she goes, ‘Why don’t we just call her Olympia Grace?’ And I thought, ‘That sounds awesome’.

“It was nothing to do with my Olympic career, it was purely because we love the name. We call her little baby Oly but she is absolutely wonderful and already trying to talk and sit up and do all of those great things.”

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Grant Hackett with his kids. Picture: Instagram

Family's "strong connection" with new bub

Emdur said that with her father an Olympic champion, he missed the chance to give her the middle name of “gold”.

Hackett said all the kids were “doting” on their little sister and that the family already had “a really strong connection”.

He said that his three-year-old son Edward has been “very very caring and gentle around her which is nice to see because most of the time he’s a bruiser”.

Hackett has moved on from his swimming career and is the CEO of ASX-listed financial services company Generation Development Group.

He admitted that while he missed some aspects, “I love not training”.

Originally published as Surprise inspiration for Olympic champion's new baby name