E-Paper
Grant Hackett
'The machine', as he is fondly called, hasn't been beaten in the 1500m since 1997 and will be a major threat to Ian Thorpe in the 400m.
Born: May 7, 1980
Country: Australia
Weight: 89.8 kgs
Height: 196 cm
Event: Swimming (200m Freestyle, 400m Freestyle, 1500m Freestyle, 4x200m Freestyle Relay)
Olympic Record:
2000 Sydney Games: 1st 1500m free
Other Records:
1997 World Championships: 1st 1500m free, 1st 4x200m free, 3rd 400m free
1998 World Championships: 1st 1500m free , 1st 4x200m free, 2nd 400m free
1999 World Championships: 1st 400m free (3:35.01, WR), 1st 1500m free
2001 World Championships: 1st 1500m free (14:34.56, WR), 2nd 400m free (3:42.51), 2nd 800m free, 1st 4x200m free relay (7:04.66, WR)
2002 World Championships - 1st 400m free, 1st 1500m free, 1st 4x200m free relay
2003 World Championships - 1st 800m free, 1st 1500m free, 2nd 400m free, 3rd 200m free, 1st 4x200m free relay
The Australian legend is currently the world and Olympic champion and world record holder in the 1500m freestyle - and he hasn't been beaten in that event since 1997.
Grant began swimming at the age of four and the rest, as they say, is history. Hackett will also be a major threat to Ian Thorpe in the 400m, and should contend in the 200m freestyle, an event in which he won the bronze at the 2003 World Championships and formerly held the world record.
At the World Championships in January 1998, Hackett started his medal run with a win in the 4 X 200 meter freestyle event. He swam second with Michael Klim swimming first, then himself, then Ian Thorpe and finishing with Daniel Kowalski. Together they clocked a time only 0.53 seconds off the world record for the event and broke the American's long run as champions. After this race their was no looking back for this Australian.
Because of his victorious run in the pool he was nicknamed ‘The machine’ and it is left to see if he can get over his disappointing run at Sydney and gather medals for his country.
