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THE young West Australian who will carry Australia’s hopes in the 1500m freestyle at the Games plans to seek the advice of dual Olympic champion Grant Hackett in a bid to maximise his medal chances.

Athens Olympic medley finalist Travis Nederpelt will be the only Australian competing in the 1500m freestyle next month after no swimmers qualified for the event at the selection trials.

Former Canadian Kurtis MacGillivary, who trains with Hackett, won the 1500m final. But his winning time of 15min 22.68sec was well outside what was needed to secure selection.

Nederpelt, second to MacGillivary at the trials, was asked to swim the distance event after his Games berth was sealed in other events.

The 20-year-old individual medley specialist said he would speak to the sidelined Hackett to help ensure he delivered his best 30-lap performance in front of a home crowd at the Games.

“I will definitely be speaking to him,” Nederpelt said.

“It’s hard to think that I’ve got to try and take over (in that event) and match him.

“I’ve heard everyone say I’m the only hope to keep the title in Australia, but I’ve just got to try and put that out of my head and just go in and do the best job I can.”

Nederpelt, who has a personal best time of 15:17.81 for the 1500m, is aware of the challenge in front of him.

Welshman David Davies is the favourite to end Australia’s dominance of the event at the Games in Hackett’s absence.

Australia has owned the 1500m at the Commonwealth Games since 1958.

“Australia has always viewed it as quite an elite event so I’m quite proud to be a part of it,” Nederpelt said.

However, his tilt at the 1500m falls at the end of a heavy Games program.

When the 1500m comes around, Nederpelt will already have competed in the 200m butterfly and the 200m and 400m IM. But Nederpelt said he was well-equipped to handle the workload.

While the spotlight will be on his 1500m swim, he said he was far more confident of his medal chances in the 200m butterfly and 400m IM.