Sydney: Dual Olympic champion Grant Hackett finished third in the 400 metres freestyle final in his comeback swim after seven years out of the pool at Australia’s world championship trials in Sydney on Friday.
The 34-year-old, in his first major meet since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, clocked three minutes, 46.53 seconds to finish with the bronze medal behind Mack Horton (3:42.84) and defending champion David McKeon (3:44.28).
Hackett surprised everyone including himself when he qualified fourth-fastest for the final, shaving five seconds off his best time since returning to the pool six months ago.
Based on Friday’s swim, he is considered to have a strong chance of a top-six 200-metre freestyle finish and, as a result, a relay berth for this year’s world championships in Kazan, Russia.
“I can’t believe I can do that after six months,” Hackett told reporters after narrowly missing out on qualifying for the event at the worlds.
“Maybe I am a bit older and stronger. Who knows what I can do in another six months?
“Everything is a bonus,” he said. “I have nothing to prove in the sport. I have won Olympic gold medals, broken world records — I can’t do anything else.
“I just want to see how fast my old body can swim.”
London Olympian Jessica Ashwood (4:05.58) won the women’s 400-metre freestyle, beating Leah Neale (4:06.84).
