Grant Hackett misses first chance for Olympic selection as Mack Horton produces amazing swim
GRANT Hackett has missed his first chance to qualify for Rio 2016 as Mack Horton spectacularly emerged as an Olympic gold medal contender.
GRANT Hackett has missed his first chance to qualify for a fourth Olympics as teenager Mack Horton eclipsed him on the all-time 400m freestyle rankings on the first night of selection trials in Adelaide.
Hackett, bidding to become the oldest swimmer to make an Australian Olympic team, finished fourth in Thursday night’s final, failing to clinch a top two spot required to book a ticket to Rio.
The 35-year-old was not expected to qualify in the event and his best hope of making the team remains in the 200m freestyle, starting on Friday.
Hackett wasn’t just shown up by a young rival but blown away as 19-year-old Horton won in three minutes and 41.65 seconds, the third fastest time in history — better than Hackett’s 2001 PB of 3:42.51 — and second fastest by an Australian only behind Ian Thorpe.
The performance rocketed Horton into Rio gold medal calculations, while David McKeon will compete alongside him in Brazil after qualifying in second with 3:45.09.
Hackett clocked 3:48.84, failing to improve on his time in Thursday morning’s heats. He almost dropped the 400m freestyle from his program after his preparation was hampered by bronchitis. Hackett will still make the team if he finishes top six in the 200m, with third to sixth placegetters qualifying as relay swimmers.
“I had a couple of good 400m swims and it gives me confidence for the 200m,” Hackett said.
“It’s not like it absolutely killed me. I didn’t touch the wall and feel zonked.”
The first spots on the Dolphins team for Rio were taken by Thomas Fraser-Holmes (4:11.09) and Travis Mahoney (4:14.98), both sealing qualification in the men’s 400m individual medley final.
London Olympian Fraser-Holmes dominated the 400m individual medley final, clocking four minutes, 11.09 seconds — more than three seconds faster than nearest rival Mahoney.
It was his seventh straight national 400m IM title.
Victoria’s Mahoney still recorded a personal best to ensure a Rio ticket with his top-two finish within qualifying time. Fraser-Holmes had hoped to break his own 400m IM national and Commonwealth record (4:10.14).
But he was still ecstatic after taking the first step toward Rio redemption.
Fraser-Holmes is battling back to top form after the former world No.1’s failure to qualify for the 2015 world championships in his pet event, the 200m freestyle.
“Last year obviously wasn’t my year,” he said.
“But it made me step back and see what I could do better.” Blair Evans (4:45.64 PB) is also Rio-bound after claiming 400m IM gold.
Blair Evans capped a gutsy comeback from injury to join them, winning the women’s 400m medley in 4:35.26, with Keryn McMaster (4:37.94) also earning selection for her first Games.
Re-live the action below
Originally published as Grant Hackett misses first chance for Olympic selection as Mack Horton produces amazing swim
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