Australia's towering swimmer Grant Hackett is aiming at a feat that few have achieved, and he knows what it takes to get there at the pending Beijing Olympic Games.
Hackett, captain of the 43-member Aussie swimmers, is aiming at a third Olympic gold in the men's 1,500 meters freestyle at the Water Cube. If he succeeds, he will become the second Australian to score three consecutive Olympic golds in the same event, after Aussie female swimmer Dawn Fraser who achieved the feat in 100 meters freestyle.
"The 2000 (Games) was tough, the 2004 was extremely tough, and this Games will probably be harder again," he said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Grant, who will also swim in the 400 meters free, faced no easy task in the pool, with competitors including American Peter Vanderkaay, Larsen Jensen and South Korean Park Tae Hwan.
"It's a matter of who can step up in the context of an Olympic Games, when the pressure is really on," he said.
At 1.98 meters tall, Hackett started his international career at the 1997 Pan Pacific Championships in Fukuoka and swam his 1,500m world record time of 14 minutes 34.56 seconds in Japan in 2001.
A man with strong stamina, he managed to win the 1,500m freestyle gold in Athens with a partially collapsed lung. Going at his third Olympics, Hackett declared he is ready with good and consistent preparation.
"I am more relaxed now. I've experienced the Olympics, and come to enjoy the Games a little bit more," he said.
In July, Hackett managed to slice almost two seconds off his own world record in the short-course 800m freestyle. "That gives me confidence, I think I can swim well," he said.
Captain of the star-studded Australian swimming contingent, including six world record holders, Hackett played down medal and records expectations before the Games.
"Our main focus is to prepare for the best we can and make sure each individual get the best of themselves," he said, "People talk and speculate, but we will just do our best and talk about the results afterwards".
"I'll dig as deep as possible..(but) this is the Olympics, anything goes and anything can happen, you have to keep your mind open," he said,
The Australian swimming team will not only face historical rivalry with the United States, but also from other nations, Hackett said. "Lots of other countries are stepping up, and China and Japan are sending strong contingents," he said.
South Korean swimmer Park, nine years younger than Hackett, is the current world champion in 400 meters freestyle and has become good enough to challenge Hackett, whom he considered idol and now competitor.
Hackett said he looks forward to an Olympic pool showdown. "Park is a good swimmer. I think I give him a good race," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency August 6, 2008)