Virus floors Hackett
World and Olympic 1500m champion Grant Hackett will miss day one of the World Cup shortcourse meeting.
The Australian collapsed at a Sydney meeting on Wednesday following an asthma attack.
On the advice of coach Denis Cotterell he has pulled out of Friday’s 400m freestyle heats.
And he also looks unlikely to take part in the 200m freestyle event on Saturday, according to Cotterell.
He said: “If he can’t swim today, there’s not much point. There’s a 200 tomorrow but 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.”
Hackett underwent medical checks on Thursday, which confirmed he had suffered an asthma attack caused by a chest infection.
But he insisted he was not an asthmatic.
The 23-year-old said: “(The doctors) recommend I probably shouldn’t swim, but if I do feel OK.”
Hackett said he felt ill before the Sydney event and following his collapse, he was given oxygen by the pool and examined by the Australian team doctor.
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