Hand injury outs Hackett
A hand injury is likely to force Grant Hackett out of a showdown with Ian Thorpe in the first grand prix swimming series, starting on Friday in Cairns.
The 1500 metres world record-holder cut his right hand on a glass in a household mishap last weekend, and had seven stitches in the wound.
“He’s bitterly disappointed that he’s unlikely to swim - there’s still a slight chance he may, but at this stage it is highly unlikely,” Australian Swimming media manager Ian Hanson said yesterday.
However, the injury will not affect Hackett’s preparations for the July world championships in Barcelona.
Rookie Lisbeth Lenton has been tipped as the swimmer to watch in the three-day meeting at the Trinity School pool, which features 60 of Australia’s finest swimmers divided into three teams of 10 men and 10 women.
They will race over 150 and 300 metres, as well as traditional 100, 200 and 400-metre races.
Australian high-performance director Greg Hodge said the female sprints would be a highlight, with 18-year-old Lenton taking on Jodie Henry.
“It’s going to be a terrific clash in the female sprint events, the 50 and the 100,” Hodge said.
“Libby Lenton, of all the young people in the team, has really shown with her performance in the US that she has got what it takes to be competitive internationally.”
Lenton, the find of the national titles in March, cut 0.21 seconds off Henry’s national 50 metres freestyle record (25.29) to cement her place for the world titles - her first major international meeting.
The 18-year-old’s time ranks her the 11th-fastest woman in history over the one-lap dash and she again showed her promise in April, winning the 100 freestyle in the inaugural Duel in the Pool in Indianapolis.
Lenton yesterday put her rapid improvement down to her new coach, Stephan Widmer, harder training and gym work. “It’s just been an amazing ride this year, I didn’t expect to do so well this year,” she said.
The final grand prix series event is in Sydney from June 21-22.
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