Hackett wants to swim 10km open water event with IOC’s help

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SYDNEY: Australia’s Olympic and world champion Grant Hackett wants the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to schedule the new 10km open water swim race in the second week of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The Sydney and Athens Olympic 1500m freestyle gold medallist said he was keen to contest the newly-installed race at the next Olympics. “I would love to compete in the 10km if it is in the second week (of the Olympic program),” Hackett said on Saturday. “It is certainly just another challenge to add to my program.” Hackett said the Olympic schedule would be pivotal in his decision to prepare for the race. He said he would only consider racing if the endurance event was scheduled in the second week of the Olympic program, after the entire pool competition was completed.

The champion distance swimmer said he will lobby the IOC and world swim body FINA to position the open water race in the last week of Beijing Olympic competition. “This would not only interest me but a lot of 1500m swimmers around the world would love to compete in an open water race,” he said. “With the current program every (swimmer) has got two events at Olympic level except distance swimmers.

“Distance swimmers have only one opportunity to compete and show their skills and their hard efforts put in to prepare for endurance races. “It would be in the best interest for the IOC and FINA to put the race in the second week and allow endurance swimmers of the pool to have an opportunity to compete.” afp