GRANT Hackett made it known he wanted to make the 400m freestyle his own after producing a brilliant swim to leave the field in his wake at the Australian short-course swimming championships in Hobart last night.

Stepping up his return from shoulder surgery, Hackett clocked a swift 3min 35.73sec to finish a little more than a second outside his own 2002 world mark for the 400m.Such was Hackett’s dominance, he finished more than 10 seconds clear of second-placed Nic Donald (3min 46.57sec) and Athens Olympian Craig Stevens (3min 47.41sec).

Hackett admitted he was unhappy with his opening swim of the championships in the 200m freestyle on Friday night, and it was clear from the start of last night’s race he was out to make amends.

“I was really surprised to be that close to the world record — I didn’t think I would be in striking distance at this stage,” the dual Olympic 1500m champion said.

“You always question how you’re going to come back (after surgery), but to get up and swim times like that given the workload I’m in, I know I can still keep on improving on my best times.”

Hackett, 26, won the 400m freestyle long-course crown at last year’s Montreal world championships, and has the chance to do so again in Melbourne next year, with Ian Thorpe set to focus on the shorter distances.

While his name is synonymous with the 1500m, which he will swim tomorrow night, Hackett said he was keen to put his stamp on the 400m.

“There’s been no doubt that I’ve been trying to crack the 400m for a long time,” he said.

“But certainly that 3min 40sec that Ian (Thorpe) has done long-course is certainly the benchmark that not only myself, but people like (American) Klete Keller are aiming at.”

Not to be outdone, Olympic gold medallist Libby Lenton produced a sizzling swim to finish just one second outside her own world record in the 100m freestyle, clocking 52.78sec to finish ahead of Shayne Reese and Olympic champion Jodie Henry.

Lenton then backed up to set a Commonwealth record 25.71sec in the final of the 50m butterfly, slashing half a second off her personal best time to defeat long-course world champion Danni Miatke.

World record-holder Leisel Jones cruised to a comfortable win in the 200m breaststroke, but was unable to threaten her own 2003 world short-course mark.

After her win in the 50m breaststroke on Friday night, Jones clocked 2min 19.33sec to finish more than two seconds clear of Sally Foster and Sarah Katsoulis.

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