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It seems only fitting that big man’s greatest triumph will be preceded by his greatest challenge. Never before have the stakes been higher for Grant Hackett as he attempts to swim into the record books as Australia’s supreme male athlete.
Thorpe couldn’t do it, neither could Perkins, but this Sunday, Grant Hackett will be going for a hat-trick of Olympic titles.
And fittingly his opposition has never been tougher.
In Athens four of the finalists finished sub 15 minutes, while eleven contenders in Beijing have already swum the 1500m event in under 15 minutes this year.
One of the American pretenders for Hackett’s crown, Larsen Jensen, explains the challenge for the Aussie.
“In years past, a few people, Hackett in particular, have had the luxury of cruising through the prelims, with how far ahead of the world he was. But now, I think it’s going to be a lot more competitive to simply make the final.”
David Davies, another chief rival of Hackett, agrees.
“The heats are going to be hard enough, and a lot of guys will have to swim fast to make it, and the final will be an absolute dogfight.”
But as always, Hackett has responded with nothing but determination.
”My expectation is to do it better than I have ever done it before,” he said.
”Better than the last two Olympic Games. [Sydney] 2000 was tough, Athens [2004] was extremely tough and this will probably be harder again.”
“It will come down to who steps up at the Olympic Games when the pressure is really on. I will be going to the well and digging as deep as possible.”
Come on Grant! We are all behind you back home.
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