You can crawl into Thorpie’s bed

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FANS can win the chance to share a Commonwealth Games bed with sports idols including Ian Thorpe and Jana Pittman — after a fashion.

The company that will provide 6100 beds to the Parkville athletes’ village has decided to auction those used by big-name competitors after the Games.

Grant Hackett, Tatiana Grigorieva, Michael Klim, Jodie Henry, Craig Mottram and Brooke Hanson are likely to be part of the action as well.

“We haven’t worked out exactly how the auction will work, but the proceeds will go to charity,” Sleepmaker’s Adam Creek said yesterday.

“The beds would have been used for only two weeks. We’re sure there are people out there who will be looking for a slightly different sort of memento.”

Other beds that will provide rest to less famous competitors will be sold second-hand.

To accommodate athletes like the 195cm Thorpedo, Sleepmaker must provide 1220 beds measuring 2.2m.

Sleepmaker is also providing mattress protectors, pillows and quilts for the village.

The bedding contract is believed to be worth more than $1.5 million.

The village at Parkville will be home to 5800 — 4500 athletes and 1300 officials.

Officials could not explain why an extra 300 beds had been ordered.

There are 155 detached houses, 32 studios, 25 townhouses and 103 apartments being built.

Permanent dwellings are being modified.

Hackett wins reprieve after disqualification

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AUSTRALIA’s team captain Grant Hackett was disqualified for the first time in top level competition yesterday when he checked in late for the 400m freestyle heats at the national short-course championships in Melbourne.

Hackett and five others, including Craig Stevens, Ky Hurst and and Kurtis McGillivary, failed to report to the marshalling room two clear events before the 400m heats, as required by the international federation (FINA) rules.

They were ruled out of the event but then given an official reprieve.

Eventually, the six were allowed to swim a separate heat.

Their appeals against disqualification were heard by the referee, Lawrie Cox, and upheld on the grounds the marshalling scoreboard that alerts athletes to which events are being called was difficult to see from the athletes’ area.

Hackett said that, despite a nine-year international career, he was completely unaware of the FINA rule.

“I would have been disqualified several times before if it had been enforced like this, definitely,” Hackett said.

Swimming Australia’s chief executive Glenn Tasker said the incident was a “hiccup” and the referee had given the swimmers the benefit of the doubt.

“We had a mass group of some of our best 400m freestylers not turning up,” Tasker said. “In the first instance the officials did the right thing, but what the referee has done when considering the protest is given the benefit of the doubt to the athletes, given the environment that we are working at with this pool.”

Tasker said he believed the same ruling would also have been made for lesser-known athletes.

Hackett arrived early last night and won the 400m final in 3min 36.73sec.

Hackett angered by ‘late for race’ rules

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Grant Hackett yesterday called for changes to international swimming rules after he was among six competitors who were disqualified and then reinstated to the 400 metres freestyle heats at the Australian shortcourse championships yesterday.

Hackett, his training partners Ky Hurst and Kurtis MacGillivary as well as Craig Stevens, Ken Walsh and Norwegian Lasse Hoel all missed the call to the marshalling area because they had not seen the call-up message on the scoreboard and were unaware of the rule that competitors had to arrive at the pre-race room two events before the first heat of their swim.

Australian Swimming chief executive Glenn Tasker said the rules allowed for a judgement call by officials and the swimmers were permitted to compete in a specially arranged heat after protests were lodged by their respective coaches. Head referee Lawrie Cox then upheld the protests and set aside the disqualifications after the race — won comfortably by a fired-up Hackett in three minutes and 39.37 seconds.

Tasker said the swimmers, who were “among some of our best 400 freestylers” were not given beneficial treatment because the meeting doubled as the trials for next year’s world shortcourse championships. “At least two of them have been away from Australia for nearly a month competing in myriad different events and you can understand why they might be a little bit tired or they weren’t paying attention to the time or whatever it might be so what the referee has done is given them the benefit of the doubt,” Tasker said.

Hackett said he kept to a regular pattern at meetings — after finishing his warm-up he arrived at the marshalling room about 20 minutes before his race.

“I give myself enough time to try and be down at the marshalling area to put my suit on and relax myself and I didn’t realise that I had to be there so long before the race,” he said.

“… This is almost 10 years I’ve been involved at his level of the sport and by no means was I down there any later than I would have been for any other event in the past.

“They are complaining about the men’s team and their performances already and we come here now and we’re disqualifying people. I know that the rules are the rules but when they’re this heavily enforced does it gets a little bit ridiculous and do we have to question what the rules are?

“I would have been disqualified several times before if it had been enforced like this. You probably wouldn’t have seen me on too many teams.”

How the Government is failing our children

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We can perhaps excuse ourselves a wry smile when we hear that the Federal Government is demanding that all schools fly the national flag. This is part of the agreement reached between Canberra and all states and territories on the provision of $31 billion of funding over the next five years. Interestingly, and as far as I am aware, flying the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander flag is not included in the contract.

Unfortunately, it gets worse. States and territories are also required to ensure that student reports are based on a system of letter grades, A to E. Apparently, parents are confused by other terminology that might use words such as “established”, “consolidated”, “developed” and the like. A grade of B, for example, is very explicit and everyone knows what it means.

But if I received a piece of paper inscribed with the letter B and nothing else, I would have very little idea of what was intended. Of course, various assumptions could be made based on the common culture: Grant Hackett is clearly A+, Cathy Freeman used to be A+, but there is some dispute about how to rate John Howard and Kim Beazley at the moment. Strangely, judgement varies depending on the perspective being employed.

We have a distinct choice here. Either it is appropriate to draw up an absolute scale that measures achievement, or we look at progress that has been made over time. In the former case, the context is really unimportant - all that matters is product at the time. Contrast this with the latter case, where the conditions are crucial and really shape what is achieved.

Matthew Hayden, for example, took a decade to break into the Australian cricket team and overcame many hurdles along the way. An absolute rating during his journey may have been a fail. Herb Elliott was never beaten over the 1500 metres and mile during his short career and is generally seen as an athletic champion. On the other hand, Ron Clarke, who never won Olympic gold but broke many world records, has a more interpreted reputation. Should he be rated C-?

The allocation of absolute grades to the learning of children fits into a particular logic of knowledge. This says that schools are involved in the passing on of predetermined information or subject content that can be known, taught, assessed and rated accurately at each age or year level. Under this arrangement, the logic is internally consistent and defensible. There trouble is, there is another logic.

An alternative view indicates that children learn by building their own knowledge and that learning is always a work in progress. Under these conditions, it is highly problematic whether predetermined content can be known, taught, assessed and rated accurately. With this logic, a graded system of assessment is therefore entirely inconsistent and indefensible.

Can we construct one paradigm as more equitable than the other?

Schools usually confront this dilemma by reaching a settlement that is an uneasy mix of absolute levels of achievement based on norm-referencing, and progress over time based on criterion-referencing. Leisel Jones is norm-referenced. Conversely, criteria are brief, clear, broad descriptions of learning that indicate the general point in the educational voyage being undertaken.

Does it really matter whether criteria are used, whether one logic or the other is followed? There are two concerns.

First, not all children approach learning in the same way and following one approach will, by definition, exclude large numbers of children who prefer the other. Second, adopting one logic, whichever it is, says to children that there is only one way to learn and that deviation from this leads to personal and educational failure.

What many teachers try to do to get around these problems is to develop an inclusive curriculum that recognises the different approaches. The framework of learning involves participation with the knowledge, ideas and practices of others, but the starting point for inclusion is the child’s interests, history and intent. The framework is democratic and inquiry-based rather than autocratic and obligatory.

So what about the final step of grading student learning? An imposed system of A to E labels assumes one logic. It assumes that schools are only about the passing on of knowledge from elsewhere, that both teachers and children are disconnected from their knowledge and that imposed external judgements are accurate and necessary.

Parents will make up their own minds, but children may have little option to do so, locked in the iron cage of A to E determinism.

Lenton’s in the pink with world record

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While she saves her special hot pink suit for finals, gold is proving more Libby Lenton’s colour after she again smashed the world record to win the women’s 100 metre freestyle at the Australian short-course championships.

Lenton became the first woman to ever go under 52 seconds for the distance in Monday night’s semi-final, when she broke Sweden’s Therese Alshammar’s five-year-old world mark of 52.17 seconds.

She bettered her own record of 51.91 in the final, clocking 51.70 at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Lenton said she had saved her lucky hot pink suit especially for Tuesday’s race, with her own world record in her sights.

“I love this pink suit, it’s my extra little bit I keep for finals and it makes me get excited and ready to race,” said the beaming 20-year-old Queenslander.” She said she and coach Stephan Widmar had pin-pointed improving her start to achieve the super-fast time.

“Stephan told me to concentrate on my start because it was a bit slower than normal last night so that’s where we thought we could get that extra little bit.” Victorians Shayne Reese (54.79) and Danni Miatke (54.71) filled the minor placings.

Lenton finished last week’s world long-course championships in Montreal with three gold medals and two silvers, including the 50 metre freestyle title.

These national titles double at trials for the 2006 world short-course championships in Shanghai next April, where Lenton will defend her 100m title won in Indianapolis last year.

In other events, triple world champion Grant Hackett overcame his shock disqualification and subsequent reinstatement earlier to cruise to victory in the men’s 400m freestyle event.

Six swimmers including Hackett were disqualified for not appearing in the marshalling area at the correct time ahead of the heats but a protest was successful.

Hackett clocked 3:36.73, well outside his world record of 3:34.58, followed by Craig Stevens (3:45.53) and Cameron Smith (3:46.53).

In the women’s 50m butterfly, world long-course champion Danni Miatke (26.24) beat home world 100m champion Jess Schipper (26.34). Amy Cockerton (27.54) was third.

Swimming is the pacesetter for sport in Australia

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MINUTES before the start of the men’s 1500m freestyle final at the national championships a few months ago, a message was relayed to security staff at the Sydney Olympic Swim Centre.

Someone had left a vehicle’s lights on in the competitors’ car park, reported a public-spirited spectator.

Now everyone who attends a major sporting fixture knows it is mandatory for venue announcers to make such an earth-shattering announcement - listing the car’s numberplate and turning the decibels as high as possible - just when silence is golden before the start of a thrilling contest. But this time there would be no such intrusion.

Instantly recognising the number plate, the announcer merely told the security man something like: “Geez, Grant’s done it again.”

After which an aide was despatched to the changerooms to secure Grant Hackett’s car keys to ensure the champ wouldn’t have to push-start his car yet again after eclipsing another national distance crown.

So there, you see. Even King Hacket is not totally perfect. Like all of us, he still puts his pants on one leg at a time and makes the same silly everyday mistakes.

Nonetheless, right now there is, aptly, no more admired and respected figure in all of Australian sport.

Not even his close friend and rival Ian Thorpe who will, no doubt, find motivation anew from Hackett’s fabulous world title performances and enthronement as the world’s new No. 1.

Nor, likewise, is there a more delightful, natural, unaffected and appreciated group of Australian sporting performers than the female swimmers who have so dominated the worlds over the past week.

Every single one of them has won their way into our hearts as much for the bubbly, natural enthusiasm they bring to their sport as their fabulous series of successes.

This in an era of unprecedented sports narcism, one in which so many mediocre athletes grow up thinking they are special and that the world revolves around them simply because they happen to be involved in elite competition. Certainly most of us believed the retirement of such notables as Susie O’Neill and Petria Thomas would stall the success of our women’s squad for some years to come.

Instead, the deeds and demeanour of those wonderful role models have instantly instilled quiet confidence and unbounded determination in their successors.

All the medal winners at the worlds - Jodie Henry, Giaan Rooney, Libby Lenton, Leisel Jones, Jade Edmistone, Danni Miatke, Jessicah Schipper, Linda Mackenzie, Alice Mills, Shayne Reese, Bronte Barrett, Brooke Hanson and Lara Carroll - showed us a personality, articulation and team spirit to match their successes.

Which, when you think more deeply about it, reflects vast credit on the Australian Swimming Union’s current administration, coaching and support structures.

Certainly that hasn’t always been the case. Ask Dawn Fraser and countless others who have been victims of past autocracy and conspiracy.

But now that it is, we should all be happy to acknowledge swimming as the undoubted pacesetter of national sporting administration and performance.

World aquatic championships offered some moments to remember

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MONTREAL (CP) - Some memories from the world aquatic championships, which end Sunday:

Canadian men’s 4×100 relay team: They won the crowd over by wearing Montreal Canadiens jerseys onto the pool deck, then Yannick Lupien, Mike Mintenko, Rick Say and Brent Hayden swam their way to a silver medal. Canadian swimmers rode a wave of emotion for the rest of the meet. You wonder if a bad performance would have affected the Canadian team and attendance for the rest of the week.

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Despatie does it: No one came into the world championships under more pressure than Alexandre Despatie, Canada’s top medal hope. The diver from suburban Laval, Que., came through with gold in the one-metre and three-metre springboard events, performing before packed grandstands. His wins also created a huge leap in interest for the previously neglected championships.

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Water polo bronze: In the wake of Canada’s bronze medal victory over Russia in women’s water polo, veteran players Jana Salat and Ann Dow held up a Canadian flag while celebrating in the pool with teammates and coaches. Then Dow, the co-captain who is retiring after the championships, led the team in a march around the pool deck not only to thank the crowd of about 4,000, but the thousands who supported them.

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Brittany Reimer wins two medals: The Surrey, B.C., teenager finally began to fulfil the potential she showed at the 2003 world championships. After struggling in the spotlight of the Olympics, Reimer stepped forward as a team leader and an Olympic medal threat.

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Michael Phelps sinks in 400 freestyle: The marquee event of the world championships was over before it started when American superstar Michael Phelps failed to qualify for the 400-freestyle final. That spoiled the anticipated matchup with Australia’s Grant Hackett, who easily won the race. Phelps would go on to win six medals at the championships, but it was the swim he didn’t do that people talked about.

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Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion - A surprise bronze on the 10-metre synchronized platform from the diminutive divers was Canada’s first medal and a sign the Canadian team was ready to exceed expectations.

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Bloody nose - Fans cringed as U.S. diver Chelsea Davis was helped from the pool with blood streaming from her nose after hitting the board face-first in the women’s three-metre springboard event. She wasn’t seriously injured, but the gory sight underlined the danger of an otherwise graceful sport.

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All in a day’s work: South African Roland Schoeman broke the world record in the 50-metre butterfly twice in 24 hours. “Not bad for an African,” the 25-year-old said afterwards. He then pleaded for an end to racism. “I think Africa has a race problem and I think we should void that. So, l like I said, not bad for an African, not bad for a South African. Not bad for a human.”

Heyman’s coach sorry: When Canada’s Emilie Heymans finished fourth in the 10-metre platform event her coach Michel Larouche told reporters she had lacked intensity in training and needed to put her personal life in order. The next day Larouche made a public apology to Heymans. “The comments I made were clearly unacceptable,” he said. “I’m an experienced coach, and coming from me, it’s intolerable.”

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Media swim competition: Some competitors stood on the starting block with stomachs hanging over baggy swim trucks. Others had rippling muscles squeezed into racing suits. The media swim competition pitted the want-a-bes against those who had done it. Former Olympic champions like Britain’s Nick Gillingham, a member of the British press contingent, raced reporters who usually move fastest on a big story. Not always a pretty sight but entertaining.

Another Freestyle Win For Hackett

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Talented filly Freestyle added to her record with a desperate win in Saturday’s feature race at Morphettville, the Listed Dequetteville Stakes (1050m).

Her owners include world and Olympic 1500m freestyle champion Grant Hackett, media personality Alan Jones and thoroughbred breeding heavyweight John Messara.

After jumping well, Freestyle settled behind early leader Dinkum Star but looked under pressure around the turn and began to lay in towards the rail.

But once she found the fence, she lifted strongly over the final stages and missed the carnage behind her, scoring a strong 1-3/4 length win.

Multiple protests were fired in as the fillies found plenty of trouble behind her but she came away with the race and added to her impressive record.

Dinkum Star finished second over Chetwynd South but stewards upheld the protest and reversed the placings, while Serious Impact, whose rider Ryan Maloney protested against Dwayne Dunn on the winner and the third placegetter, had to contend with fourth.

Prepared on the track by Phillip Stokes, Freestyle won her fourth race from just five career starts, and took her stakes tally to three, the Merson Cooper and Breeders’ Stakes the others on her resume.

Stokes said he would monitor how the filly pulled up after Saturday’s event before making a decision on where to go next.

“If I’m not that happy with her, she’ll run in the William Crockett at Moonee Valley in a month, but if she does well she’ll run in the Dermody Stakes in a fortnight,” Stokes said.

In the Group Three Dermody (1000m) at Morphettville on July 30th, she will carry just 52.5kg as a two-year-old under the set weights conditions.

The filly’s dam, Stella Artois, won the William Crockett in 1999.

Intruders crash party

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MEET Heath, Rita and Melanie, the three intruders set to stir up proceedings when they crash the Big Brother house tonight.
Critics of BB and its controversial Uncut show will no doubt be thrilled to hear Heath’s biggest achievement in life is “picking up a girl out of Playboy”.

“I’m the guy who is going to have a crack at the girls and put on a good show,” he said.

“My worst qualities would be that I am a bit of a smart-arse and I talk about myself a bit too much.”

Grant Hackett should also be stoked to be named as Rita’s claim to fame - she pashed the swimmer on a night of revelry during the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Nurse Rita, who cites her “big arse” as one of her best qualities, met Hackett when she gave him inoculation shots at the onset of the games. The two then bumped into each other again in a pub and spent the night locking lips.

“Grant Hackett was the best pash I ever had,” she says.

“I won’t have a problem showering naked in the house, especially with the guys around me,” she said.

“Because I am a nurse, I have seen many shapes and sizes.”

Melanie, who has modelled for Dodo Internet and the Australian UnderCoverWear catalogue, said her worst enemy would describe her as “a snob, superficial and pretentious”.

One stroke short of a 50m pool

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IF swimming superstar Grant Hackett wants to beat his own world 1500m record, he should head to Geelong’s new pool.

There, the dual-Olympic gold medallist would have to swim only 1499.4m.

In an embarrassing bungle, Geelong Council’s new $4.4 million pool is 20mm short of 50m.

That’s enough to save Hackett 60cm over the course of 1500m.

The pool’s steel frame, which was shipped in from Italy, is about 20mm shorter than the standards set by FINA, swimming’s international governing body.

A plan to pour 250 million litres of hot water into the pool in a desperate attempt to stretch it has been abandoned.

Instead, builders will demolish one end of the pool and extend it.

The bold manoeuvre will cost more than $30,000.

The head coach of Geelong Aquatic Centre Sharks, John Mitchell, said the pool was unacceptable. “As it stands, it’s not up to FINA standards and 20mm makes a big difference,” he said.

“Even at my level, and I’ve coached some tremendous swimmers, 20mm is a lifetime. It’s not an ideal situation.”

The pool frame arrived in perfect shape but has since shrunk.

“It’s a pretty big embarrassment,” a source said.

“Steel, over 50m, can move in the weather by up to 50mm. It’s adjustable, it’s not unfixable.

“It’s been right the whole job but something very recently has caused it to move and we don’t know why.

“The pool will be fine in two weeks’ time. We’re doing tests with surveyors and rectifying it.”

The City of Greater Geelong Council, which is paying for the pool, was not aware of the problem yesterday.

But a spokesman said the Italian manufacturer of the pool supplied its product all over the world with no problems of compliance with international standards.

“The City of Greater Geelong is buying a FINA-compliant pool and that’s what we expect delivered,” the spokesman said.

Council fought off claims last year that the pool was too shallow.

The open-air facility, only 100m from Skilled Stadium, is the second at Kardinia Park.

Builder Kane Constructions won the tender to build the pool last August.

It is earmarked for the 2006 International Life Saving Federation championships in February.