Hackett withdraws from swim meet
Grant Hackett’s coach has advised the ill Olympic champion to withdraw from the World Cup shortcourse meeting in Melbourne this weekend.
Hackett collapsed on the pool deck during Wednesday night’s Skins meet in Sydney after suffering an asthma attack following a race.
Hackett pulled out of the 400m freestyle heats at the World Cup this morning and is now almost certain not to take part in his other listed event - the 200m freestyle tomorrow.
His coach Denis Cotterell didn’t rule out Hackett swimming tomorrow, saying it would be left to Hackett to decide.
But Cotterell said it was unlikely Hackett would swim and he would prefer the Queenslander rested.
“If he can’t swim today, there’s not much point,” Cotterell said.
“There’s a 200 tomorrow - that’s a higher intensity.
“There’s a virus in his lung a little bit, so we’re better just to rest up, get it out of his system, get him healthy and back on deck Monday.
“I can’t say absolutely officially (he won’t swim tomorrow) but from my point I would prefer he doesn’t.”
Hackett arrived in Melbourne late yesterday after undergoing medical checks in Sydney, which revealed an asthma condition believed to have been triggered by a chest infection.
Cotterell said Hackett swam 1,500m in training last night and the decision to withdraw from today’s race was left to the swimmer, who opted for rest rather than racing.
His long-time coach admitted he was concerned at Hackett’s health scare, but was confident the 1,500m Olympic and world champion would decide not to risk racing tomorrow.
“Nowadays he’s pretty conscious of maintaining his health over an heroic, desperate race that he doesn’t really need,” Cotterell said.
“I’ve seen him train through the heaviest sessions and sustain an hour of absolute agony two, three, four, five times a week, week in, week out.
“To come off a race and see him like that - I was quite alarmed because I’ve seen him take everything.”
In today’s heats, American sensation Michael Phelps qualified comfortably for tonight’s 200m butterfly and 100m individual medley finals.
He clocked an impressive 54.58sec in the IM to be fastest qualifier and was second quickest in the 200m butterfly behind Australian Justin Norris (1min 56.01sec).
Thorpe just managed to qualify for tonight’s 100m freestyle final, sneaking into eighth (49.36) behind fellow Australians Ashley Callus (47.93) and Todd Pearson (48.43).
Petria Thomas continued her comeback from a third shoulder surgery, qualifying quickest for the women’s 50m butterfly in 26.47 and third fastest in the 100m freestyle (54.75).
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