I can’t win: Hackett
THERE is a nasty rumour going around that Grant Hackett could lose a 1500m freestyle race for the first time since 1997 at this year’s world championships.
The person who started it, strangely, is Hackett himself.
The reigning world and Olympic champion made the surprise admission during yesterday’s Queensland championships at Chandler.
A two-month post-Olympic break, combined with a couple of hungry “wannabes” biting at his ankles, has the Gold Coaster relinquishing his odds-on favourite status in his pet event at the world titles in July.
Coming from a racehorse owner who is a familiar face around the odd racetrack, he knows a thing or two about betting odds.
The 24-year-old swimmer has named Olympic silver medallist Larsen Jensen, of the US, or British bronze medallist David Davies as the leading chances to snaffle the title - at least until the next world championships in 2007.
“Those guys only had a week off after the Olympics and I had a 2½ month break,” said Hackett.
“You have to think that those guys are the favourites.
“They have got straight back into it. They’re keen, they’re eager, whereas I have had more of a break and am in a different part of my career.
“My focus is Beijing. I’m thinking long term.”
Hackett’s coach Denis Cotterell agreed his charge would struggle to retain his world title in Montreal.
But he cited an element of pragmatism in Hackett’s relaxed acceptance of a minor placing in his pet event for the first time in eight years.
“You have to understand that others in the event have moved ahead,” said Cotterell.
“But I also think he is being very pragmatic.
“In a sense, it makes it easier for him to deal with.”
One consolation for Hackett may be his first chance to win a world 400m freestyle title in the absence of Olympic champion Ian Thorpe, who is likely to bypass the world titles.
Hackett showed his form in that event at the Queensland titles yesterday.
He cruised to a heat time of 3min 50.63s - 10s off Thorpe’s world mark - but withdrew from last night’s final.
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