Competitive fire still burns for ‘old man’ of swimming, Grant Hackett

HE might be the “old man with a walking stick” but Grant Hackett insists his competitive flame still burns like a teenager at his first Olympic Games.

SWIMMING - Grant Hackett

HE might be the “old man with a walking stick” but Grant Hackett insists his competitive flame still burns like a teenager at his first Olympic Games.

The Olympic triple gold medallist, 35, this week launches his bid for a fourth Games appearance at Australian swimming’s national championships in Adelaide, which doubles as Rio selection trials.

Having retired after Beijing in 2008, Hackett is aiming to become the oldest Australian to make an Olympic swimming team.

The Queenslander, who returned from a six-year retirement barely 18 months ago, has consistently played down his own expectations in a qualifying effort that centres on making the 4x200m relay team. But Hackett on Tuesday said his acceptance that he was no longer the 1500m world-beater he was 12 years ago should not be mistaken for any lack of hunger.

“My competitive nature is unchanged,” Hackett said.

“Right now, I don’t go into any race feeling less hungry than what I did when I was 15.

“You’ll get every single bit out of me, as you have every single race and every time I’ve competed for the country.

“I’ll do everything within my power to execute the perfect race, and that won’t be any different here.”

Hackett’s return to the international stage at last year’s world championships capped a stunning turnaround for the former Australian swimming team captain, who endured personal struggles and the breakdown of his marriage after retiring.

He said a bout of bronchitis early this year had disrupted his preparation and almost forced him to quit his qualifying attempt.

Grant Hackett trains for the national swimming championships in Adelaide. Picture: Sarah Reed.

Hackett has entered the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle at the trials in Adelaide, and said his best chance to earn a spot at Rio was in the 4x200m freestyle relay team.

“For me, being an old man with a walking stick, to be able to get on this team which is an incredibly strong team, that would be one of the biggest achievements of my career,” he said.

“That includes all the medals I’ve won at Olympic and world level, and world records.

“Making this team would definitely be one of my top-three, top-five achievements.

“I look at the likes of Dave McKeon or Mack Horton — the only way of getting past those two guys is if something like 2004 took place and one of them slipped off the block in the heat. Those guys are unbelievable athletes.

“If I’m within half a body length of these guys at training, then it’s a good session for me.”

Hackett said after the controversy surrounding the Dolphins’ 2012 London Olympics campaign, he sensed team culture had returned to the one he knew when he retired after 2008.

“When I was sitting on the sidelines in 2012 and seeing the fragmentation and the various things unfolding within that team — that culture contributes to their performance,” he said. “It’s a very different space now compared to back then.

“This team is going to be a real force to be reckoned with when we go to Rio.

“This week you’re going to see some pretty amazing performances from some athletes you know, but possibly some you don’t know.”

Originally published as Competitive fire still burns for ‘old man’ of swimming, Grant Hackett