Hackett grabs limelight from Thorpe

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In a 2005 that saw Australian superstar Ian Thorpe resting, Dutch sprint king Pieter van den Hoogenband recuperating and US Olympic hero Michael Phelps researching his options with mixed results, Australian swimmer Grant Hackett, seen here in August 2005, reigned supreme

Australian swimmer Grant Hackett wasn’t about to spend the post-Olympic year treading water.
.
In a 2005 that saw Australian superstar Ian Thorpe resting, Dutch sprint king Pieter van den Hoogenband recuperating and US Olympic hero Michael Phelps researching his options with mixed results, Hackett reigned supreme.
.
The 25-year-old Aussie, whose achievements have so often been overshadowed by those of Thorpe, showed he didn’t need his famous teammate to spur him to greatness.
.
Hackett’s dazzling display at July’s World Championships in Montreal included a blockbuster 800m freestyle triumph in which he dismantled the field and demolished Thorpe’s world record with a time of 7min 38.75sec.
.
Hackett also earned an unprecedented fourth straight world title in the 1,500m freestyle, and cruised to victory in the 400m free as his would-be rival Phelps failed to reach the final.
.
That was just one of 2005’s disappointments for Phelps as the 20-year-old American sought to get his bearings in the wake of his spectacular six gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
.
While Phelps didn’t consider taking a year off to recharge his batteries, as Thorpe chose to do, he did admit he had let up a little.
.
As he begins to prepare in earnest for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Phelps said: “There need to be more decisions that are going to help my swimming and not hurt my swimming.”
.
That said, Phelps still came away from Montreal with individal titles in the 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley, a silver in the 100m butterfly and three relay golds.
.
In the 200m free, he wasn’t tested by Thorpe or van den Hoogenband, who skipped the championships because of surgery that put him behind in his training.
.
And in his two freestyle experiments, the 400m and the 100m, Phelps was frustrated.
.
At least he made it to the final in the 100m free, but he didn’t have the speed to challenge the elite sprinters in a race that saw gold medallist Filippo Magnini of Italy become the second-fastest ever swimmer in the event.
.
South Africans Roland Schoeman and Ryk Neethling snaffled silver and bronze, part of a superb showing for African swimmers in Montreal that also included Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry’s two backstroke titles and her runner-up finishes in the 200m and 400m medleys.
.
Schoeman also shone in the 50m sprints, capturing both the 50 free and the 50 fly, in which he twice broke the world record en route to the final.
.
“Hopefully just like Penny Heyns inspired us in 1996 this will inspire young kids, not just in South Africa but all over Africa that they can be world champions,” Neethling said.
.
Coventry and Schoeman were among those swimmers who appeared to escape the post-Athens let-down, a group that also included American Aaron Peirsol.
.
Peirsol set two world records in 2005 and won three golds in Montreal - in the 100m and 200m back and in America’s triumphant 4×100m medley relay.
.
Others, however, appeared to be drifting in the wake of Athens, with Olympic champions such as Natalie Coughlin of the United States and Ai Shibata of Japan unable to duplicate those successes in Montreal.
.
Australia’s women, however, only expanded on their Athens accomplishments.
.
Australia’s Leisel Jones claimed her first major international titles with a 100m and 200m breaststroke double in Montreal, part of a 10-gold rush for Aussie women that also included Jodie Henry’s 100m free triumph and Lisbeth Lenton’s 50m free victory.
.
The Australian women’s gold haul was double that of the United States, but the medley double of 16-year-old Katie Hoff and the distance free double of Kate Ziegler signalled American intentions for Beijing.
.
Indeed, the entire 2005 season often seemed like little more than the earliest tune-up for 2008, so some were puzzled by a lackluster Chinese showing in Montreal.
.
US coach Dave Salo said he was surprised the Chinese seemed to be shrugging off a chance to shine on a global stage, but their priorities became clearer later in the year when Chinese swimmers set a string of Asian records en route to winning 33 of the 42 events in the East Asian Games in November. — AFP

Australian swimmer Grant Hackett wasn’t about to spend the post-Olympic year treading water.
.
In a 2005 that saw Australian superstar Ian Thorpe resting, Dutch sprint king Pieter van den Hoogenband recuperating and US Olympic hero Michael Phelps researching his options with mixed results, Hackett reigned supreme.
.
The 25-year-old Aussie, whose achievements have so often been overshadowed by those of Thorpe, showed he didn’t need his famous teammate to spur him to greatness.
.
Hackett’s dazzling display at July’s World Championships in Montreal included a blockbuster 800m freestyle triumph in which he dismantled the field and demolished Thorpe’s world record with a time of 7min 38.75sec.
.
Hackett also earned an unprecedented fourth straight world title in the 1,500m freestyle, and cruised to victory in the 400m free as his would-be rival Phelps failed to reach the final.
.
That was just one of 2005’s disappointments for Phelps as the 20-year-old American sought to get his bearings in the wake of his spectacular six gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
.
While Phelps didn’t consider taking a year off to recharge his batteries, as Thorpe chose to do, he did admit he had let up a little.
.
As he begins to prepare in earnest for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Phelps said: “There need to be more decisions that are going to help my swimming and not hurt my swimming.”
.
That said, Phelps still came away from Montreal with individal titles in the 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley, a silver in the 100m butterfly and three relay golds.
.
In the 200m free, he wasn’t tested by Thorpe or van den Hoogenband, who skipped the championships because of surgery that put him behind in his training.
.
And in his two freestyle experiments, the 400m and the 100m, Phelps was frustrated.
.
At least he made it to the final in the 100m free, but he didn’t have the speed to challenge the elite sprinters in a race that saw gold medallist Filippo Magnini of Italy become the second-fastest ever swimmer in the event.
.
South Africans Roland Schoeman and Ryk Neethling snaffled silver and bronze, part of a superb showing for African swimmers in Montreal that also included Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry’s two backstroke titles and her runner-up finishes in the 200m and 400m medleys.
.
Schoeman also shone in the 50m sprints, capturing both the 50 free and the 50 fly, in which he twice broke the world record en route to the final.
.
“Hopefully just like Penny Heyns inspired us in 1996 this will inspire young kids, not just in South Africa but all over Africa that they can be world champions,” Neethling said.
.
Coventry and Schoeman were among those swimmers who appeared to escape the post-Athens let-down, a group that also included American Aaron Peirsol.
.
Peirsol set two world records in 2005 and won three golds in Montreal - in the 100m and 200m back and in America’s triumphant 4×100m medley relay.
.
Others, however, appeared to be drifting in the wake of Athens, with Olympic champions such as Natalie Coughlin of the United States and Ai Shibata of Japan unable to duplicate those successes in Montreal.
.
Australia’s women, however, only expanded on their Athens accomplishments.
.
Australia’s Leisel Jones claimed her first major international titles with a 100m and 200m breaststroke double in Montreal, part of a 10-gold rush for Aussie women that also included Jodie Henry’s 100m free triumph and Lisbeth Lenton’s 50m free victory.
.
The Australian women’s gold haul was double that of the United States, but the medley double of 16-year-old Katie Hoff and the distance free double of Kate Ziegler signalled American intentions for Beijing.
.
Indeed, the entire 2005 season often seemed like little more than the earliest tune-up for 2008, so some were puzzled by a lackluster Chinese showing in Montreal.
.
US coach Dave Salo said he was surprised the Chinese seemed to be shrugging off a chance to shine on a global stage, but their priorities became clearer later in the year when Chinese swimmers set a string of Asian records en route to winning 33 of the 42 events in the East Asian Games in November. — AFP
Australian swimmer Grant Hackett wasn’t about to spend the post-Olympic year treading water.
.
In a 2005 that saw Australian superstar Ian Thorpe resting, Dutch sprint king Pieter van den Hoogenband recuperating and US Olympic hero Michael Phelps researching his options with mixed results, Hackett reigned supreme.
.
The 25-year-old Aussie, whose achievements have so often been overshadowed by those of Thorpe, showed he didn’t need his famous teammate to spur him to greatness.
.
Hackett’s dazzling display at July’s World Championships in Montreal included a blockbuster 800m freestyle triumph in which he dismantled the field and demolished Thorpe’s world record with a time of 7min 38.75sec.
.
Hackett also earned an unprecedented fourth straight world title in the 1,500m freestyle, and cruised to victory in the 400m free as his would-be rival Phelps failed to reach the final.
.
That was just one of 2005’s disappointments for Phelps as the 20-year-old American sought to get his bearings in the wake of his spectacular six gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
.
While Phelps didn’t consider taking a year off to recharge his batteries, as Thorpe chose to do, he did admit he had let up a little.
.
As he begins to prepare in earnest for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Phelps said: “There need to be more decisions that are going to help my swimming and not hurt my swimming.”
.
That said, Phelps still came away from Montreal with individal titles in the 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley, a silver in the 100m butterfly and three relay golds.
.
In the 200m free, he wasn’t tested by Thorpe or van den Hoogenband, who skipped the championships because of surgery that put him behind in his training.
.
And in his two freestyle experiments, the 400m and the 100m, Phelps was frustrated.
.
At least he made it to the final in the 100m free, but he didn’t have the speed to challenge the elite sprinters in a race that saw gold medallist Filippo Magnini of Italy become the second-fastest ever swimmer in the event.
.
South Africans Roland Schoeman and Ryk Neethling snaffled silver and bronze, part of a superb showing for African swimmers in Montreal that also included Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry’s two backstroke titles and her runner-up finishes in the 200m and 400m medleys.
.
Schoeman also shone in the 50m sprints, capturing both the 50 free and the 50 fly, in which he twice broke the world record en route to the final.
.
“Hopefully just like Penny Heyns inspired us in 1996 this will inspire young kids, not just in South Africa but all over Africa that they can be world champions,” Neethling said.
.
Coventry and Schoeman were among those swimmers who appeared to escape the post-Athens let-down, a group that also included American Aaron Peirsol.
.
Peirsol set two world records in 2005 and won three golds in Montreal - in the 100m and 200m back and in America’s triumphant 4×100m medley relay.
.
Others, however, appeared to be drifting in the wake of Athens, with Olympic champions such as Natalie Coughlin of the United States and Ai Shibata of Japan unable to duplicate those successes in Montreal.
.
Australia’s women, however, only expanded on their Athens accomplishments.
.
Australia’s Leisel Jones claimed her first major international titles with a 100m and 200m breaststroke double in Montreal, part of a 10-gold rush for Aussie women that also included Jodie Henry’s 100m free triumph and Lisbeth Lenton’s 50m free victory.
.
The Australian women’s gold haul was double that of the United States, but the medley double of 16-year-old Katie Hoff and the distance free double of Kate Ziegler signalled American intentions for Beijing.
.
Indeed, the entire 2005 season often seemed like little more than the earliest tune-up for 2008, so some were puzzled by a lackluster Chinese showing in Montreal.
.
US coach Dave Salo said he was surprised the Chinese seemed to be shrugging off a chance to shine on a global stage, but their priorities became clearer later in the year when Chinese swimmers set a string of Asian records en route to winning 33 of the 42 events in the East Asian Games in November. — AFP
Australian swimmer Grant Hackett wasn’t about to spend the post-Olympic year treading water.
.
In a 2005 that saw Australian superstar Ian Thorpe resting, Dutch sprint king Pieter van den Hoogenband recuperating and US Olympic hero Michael Phelps researching his options with mixed results, Hackett reigned supreme.
.
The 25-year-old Aussie, whose achievements have so often been overshadowed by those of Thorpe, showed he didn’t need his famous teammate to spur him to greatness.
.
Hackett’s dazzling display at July’s World Championships in Montreal included a blockbuster 800m freestyle triumph in which he dismantled the field and demolished Thorpe’s world record with a time of 7min 38.75sec.
.
Hackett also earned an unprecedented fourth straight world title in the 1,500m freestyle, and cruised to victory in the 400m free as his would-be rival Phelps failed to reach the final.
.
That was just one of 2005’s disappointments for Phelps as the 20-year-old American sought to get his bearings in the wake of his spectacular six gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
.
While Phelps didn’t consider taking a year off to recharge his batteries, as Thorpe chose to do, he did admit he had let up a little.
.
As he begins to prepare in earnest for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Phelps said: “There need to be more decisions that are going to help my swimming and not hurt my swimming.”
.
That said, Phelps still came away from Montreal with individal titles in the 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley, a silver in the 100m butterfly and three relay golds.
.
In the 200m free, he wasn’t tested by Thorpe or van den Hoogenband, who skipped the championships because of surgery that put him behind in his training.
.
And in his two freestyle experiments, the 400m and the 100m, Phelps was frustrated.
.
At least he made it to the final in the 100m free, but he didn’t have the speed to challenge the elite sprinters in a race that saw gold medallist Filippo Magnini of Italy become the second-fastest ever swimmer in the event.
.
South Africans Roland Schoeman and Ryk Neethling snaffled silver and bronze, part of a superb showing for African swimmers in Montreal that also included Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry’s two backstroke titles and her runner-up finishes in the 200m and 400m medleys.
.
Schoeman also shone in the 50m sprints, capturing both the 50 free and the 50 fly, in which he twice broke the world record en route to the final.
.
“Hopefully just like Penny Heyns inspired us in 1996 this will inspire young kids, not just in South Africa but all over Africa that they can be world champions,” Neethling said.
.
Coventry and Schoeman were among those swimmers who appeared to escape the post-Athens let-down, a group that also included American Aaron Peirsol.
.
Peirsol set two world records in 2005 and won three golds in Montreal - in the 100m and 200m back and in America’s triumphant 4×100m medley relay.
.
Others, however, appeared to be drifting in the wake of Athens, with Olympic champions such as Natalie Coughlin of the United States and Ai Shibata of Japan unable to duplicate those successes in Montreal.
.
Australia’s women, however, only expanded on their Athens accomplishments.
.
Australia’s Leisel Jones claimed her first major international titles with a 100m and 200m breaststroke double in Montreal, part of a 10-gold rush for Aussie women that also included Jodie Henry’s 100m free triumph and Lisbeth Lenton’s 50m free victory.
.
The Australian women’s gold haul was double that of the United States, but the medley double of 16-year-old Katie Hoff and the distance free double of Kate Ziegler signalled American intentions for Beijing.
.
Indeed, the entire 2005 season often seemed like little more than the earliest tune-up for 2008, so some were puzzled by a lackluster Chinese showing in Montreal.
.
US coach Dave Salo said he was surprised the Chinese seemed to be shrugging off a chance to shine on a global stage, but their priorities became clearer later in the year when Chinese swimmers set a string of Asian records en route to winning 33 of the 42 events in the East Asian Games in November. — AFP

Thorpe makes sizzling return

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IAN Thorpe earned a world top three ranking in the 200m freestyle tonight with a sizzling performance at the NSW swimming titles at Sydney Olympic Park.

Thorpe, who was contesting his first major long course meet in 16 months since the Athens Olympics, was a convincing winner.

The 23-year-old Sydneysider clocked 1m46.20s to win by over four seconds from defending champion Kenrick Monk (1m50.41s).

The final place on the podium was claimed by Nick Ffrost (Ffrost) 1m50.77s, just ahead of AIS teammate Michael Klim (1.50.86s).

The only superior times in a major competition this year were recorded by American Michael Phelps (1m45.27s) and Australian Grant Hackett (1m46.14s) – the top two at the world championships.

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Thorpe recorded a time of 1m49.94s in his heat this morning and appeared to be cruising in both of his appearances.

The first dual winner of the three-day meet was AIS swimmer Tarnee White, who won the 50m breast-stroke (31.48s) and later backed up to take the 200m breast-stroke in 1m08.56s.

White, however, benefited from the withdrawal of the fastest qualifier for both finals, AIS teammate Jade Edmistone, who hurt her groin in the warm up for tonight’s event.

Earlier today, Edmistone set an Australian all comers record of 30.66s, just 0.21 of a second outside her own world record.

Sydneysider Elka Graham maintained her strong recent comeback from a hip injury by winning the women’s 200m freestyle in 2m01.34s.

Graham just overhauled AIS swimmer Alice Mills 2m01.83s who improved her morning performance by 2.68 seconds after just claiming the last place in the final.

Klim is beaten but not bowed

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Michael Klim will not waver from his head-on approach to the Melbourne Commonwealth Games - even if it costs his injury-prone body a shot at the Beijing Olympics.

In contrast to Grant Hackett, who opted to miss the Games in March and have shoulder surgery to be ready for Beijing, Klim on Monday night admitted he would risk missing the 2008 Olympics to make a splash at Melbourne.

Instead of his usual reserved countdown to a major meet, Klim, 28, has begun a frenetic preparation for next month’s Games trials at Melbourne, but it started badly with a shock loss at the Queensland swimming titles on Monday night.

Klim was relegated to silver in the 100 metres butterfly by Brisbane-based PNG swimmer Ryan Pini at Brisbane’s Chandler Pool.

Pini won in 53.73 seconds ahead of Klim’s 54.22 - well behind the shaven-headed Victorian’s Commonwealth record time of 51.81 set in 1999.

Even though he still feels “niggles”, Klim said he would continue his “at all costs” approach by chiming into the NSW titles next week before the Games trials begin on January 30.

Asked if he would risk missing Beijing to compete at Melbourne, Klim said: “Yes … because I don’t know what is around the corner.

“I don’t know if I will last until Beijing (so) I have changed my tack a bit.

“I have got to the stage where I feel I am going to throw everything at it and if it doesn’t hold up, well …

“I hate going into meets underdone and that’s what I felt I was doing (in the past).

“So at least this way I know I have done everything possible.”

Klim said he wouldn’t be letting his silver medal on Monday night derail his Games preparation.

“It’s not a great result tonight but I’m not trying to over-analyse it - I’m going to race hard and see what happens,” he said.

The former world record holder was plagued by back and shoulder injuries from 2001 to 2003.

However, he is slowly back on the comeback track as witnessed by his Montreal world titles form in July.

Klim chimed into the 4×100m and 4×200m freestyle bronze medal-winning Australian teams - and hasn’t looked back.

He said his body was “responding really well” to his latest challenge.

“It has its occasional niggles but it’s just something I have learned to manage,” he said.

“I’m trying to not let it get to me because it can affect you if you worry about it too much - I can still get the most out of myself.”

Meanwhile, world 100m butterfly champion Jessicah Schipper suffered a shock loss in her pet event tonight, succumbing to Alice Mills.

Schipper - the Commonwealth record holder with 57.23 - clocked 58.97 to finish second behind world and Olympic relay gold medallist Mills (58.60).

“I’m in the middle of some pretty solid training at the moment. I’m really just trying to get my training right,” Schipper said.

Mills added: “It’s good to win any race and to have Jess there … it’s good competition. We had a good battle between us.”

Hackett may lead from the stands

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SWIMMING Australia has revealed its plan to have injured Olympic champion Grant Hackett stay on as a “non-playing captain” for Melbourne’s Commonwealth Games.

Hackett, 25, was forced to withdraw from the Games last month to have shoulder surgery, raising questions about who would fill his captaincy role on the national team in March.

Swimming Australia chief executive Glenn Tasker said yesterday the team hierarchy had decided it wanted Hackett to retain his role on the pool deck, but this was subject to him being granted accreditation.

“(National head coach) Alan Thompson is looking to see if there is a way we can involve Grant with the team,” Tasker said.

“If we can, then he would be sort of a non-playing captain, a bit like the Davis Cup.

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“That’s our preference. It just depends on whether or not we can get accreditation for him. If we can’t then we would look to appoint someone as an interim captain for that event.”

The issue of accreditation is not in Swimming Australia’s hands, but is determined by the Melbourne 2006 organising committee.

“It’s the organising committee that makes those determinations,” Tasker said. “If we can get him in there, we will.

“If we can’t get him accreditation then we’d look at probably having a replacement who would do the things that Grant’s been doing with the media and at team meetings.”

Hackett’s middle-distance freestyle rival Ian Thorpe has already said he has no interest replacing Hackett as captain.

Hackett was appointed team captain at the national trials in March — the first time swimming had named an individual in the role.

If he is able to join the team as captain for the Games, Hackett is sure to be kept as busy as he would be if he were competing.

The dual Olympic 1500m champion will be back in training and will also have television commitments with Channel 7 to fulfil.

After receiving a positive report following his surgery last month, Hackett has taken time out from his recovery to holiday in Venice.

Hackett, Jones win world awards

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They may be fatigued after a stellar season but it seems Australian swimmers Grant Hackett and Leisel Jones aren’t tired of awards.

For the first time in 11 years and only the second time ever, Australia scooped the pool in the World Swimmer of the Year Awards with Olympic champions Hackett and Jones taking out top honours.

Hackett held out a crack field to fill his bulging trophy cabinet with the Male Swimmer of the Year Award, published on Tuesday by Swimming World Magazine.

“To be named the winner of one of swimming’s most prestigious international awards is quite overwhelming, especially when you consider the calibre of talent that is around on the international stage,” Hackett said.

“It is a huge honour to receive this recognition and it is the icing on the cake after a year where I have really moved forward with my performances.”

The only other time in the awards’ 26-year history that Australia claimed both categories was in 1994 when Kieren Perkins and Samantha Riley emerged winners.

Hackett continued Australia’s dominance of the men’s award.

Australia has claimed six of the last nine - Michael Klim in 1997 and Ian Thorpe from 1998-2000 and 2002.

But it was only the second time an Australian had been named Female World Swimmer of the Year.

The awards are selected by a 21-strong panel of swimming experts from around the world.

Hackett held out American backstroker Aaron Peirsol, a double gold medallist at July’s world titles at Montreal and the only swimmer to set two long-course world records in 2005.

Jones claimed Female Swimmer of the Year thanks to her two gold effort at Montreal including a 200m breaststroke world record.

The 20-year-old won ahead of versatile American teenager Katie Hoff who took three world titles.

Jones’ management Grand Slam International said the Queenslander was “ecstatic” with the news.

Hackett’s international honour came after he dominated the recent national awards at Sydney where he took out five categories just days after undergoing shoulder surgery that will keep him out of March’s Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Hackett also recently claimed the Sport Australia Hall of Fame’s The Don award for sportsmanship, inspiration, integrity and courage.

“Awards such as this and like the (Australian) Swimmer of the Year and the Don … are a by-product of my career and something I will look back on and treasure,” Hackett said.

It capped an incredible year for the 25-year-old who won three gold medals including an unprecedented fourth straight 1,500m title and broke the 800m freestyle world record at Montreal.

Hackett plans to get back into training by January 2 after a two-week overseas holiday.

“I woke up this morning and shoulder felt the best it had felt and to be in the gym exercising already is certainly encouraging for the future,” said Hackett.

His manager Chris White of International Quarterback added: “He is aiming to have his first Christmas out of the water then get back into it.

“The results from surgery were better than expected. He probably won’t know the full extent of how well it has healed until he does his rotations again but everything is going well.”

Jones and Hackett aren’t finished with winning awards just yet - the duo go head-to-head at the Queensland Sports Awards at Brisbane on Thursday.