Grant Hackett is considered one of the best distance swimmers in Olympic history. Hackett, from Australia, is a double-gold medal winner in the men’s 1500m freestyle, considered one of the most grueling Olympic swimming events and where he once held the world record.
The six-foot-five Hackett won his first 1500m gold before a hometown crowd in Sydney in 2000, where he also won another gold as part of Australia’s 4x200m freestyle relay team. He successfully defended his 1500m title in Athens for his third Olympic gold, aside from winning two silvers in the 400m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle relay.
In Beijing, Hackett was aiming for a third consecutive gold, but had to settle for the silver medal behind Tunisia’s Oussama Mellouli. He also won a bronze in the 4x200m freestyle relay, bringing his total Olympic medal harvest to three golds, three silvers and one bronze.
Hackett retired after the Beijing Olympics as one of the top medal winners of the 1500m freestyle, not only in the Olympics but in the World Championships.
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