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 200m 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 400m freestyle, beating out Leah Neale (4:06.84).