Grant Hackett smashes 800m freestyle world record
July 20, 2008 01:10pm

Grant Hackett sent an ominous warning to his Beijing rivals today.
DUAL Olympic champion Grant Hackett sent an ominous warning to his Beijing rivals today when he smashed his own 800m freestyle world record.
In his final race before heading overseas for the final leg of his Beijing preparations, the distance ace slashed almost two seconds off of his 2001 world mark with his brilliant 7min 23.42sec swim at the Victorian shortcourse championships.

The swim is a major confidence boost for 28-year-old Hackett, who is aiming to become the first man to win three straight Olympic 1500m freestyle crowns in Beijing.

With his pop star wife Candice Alley watching on from the stands, an elated Hackett pumped the air with his fist after touching the wall and seeing his time.

Hackett showed he was in strong form at the Victorian championships on Saturday when he fell 0.58sec shy of his 400m freestyle shortcourse world record.

But he admitted he had not expected to produce a world record performance.

Hackett leaves tonight with his training partners for a week in Singapore before meeting up with the of the Australian squad in Kuala Lumpur next weekend