HOW CHAMPIONS DO IT

Researched, produced, and prepared by Brent S. Rushall, Ph.D., R.Psy.

GRANT HACKETT AT 1385 m OF HIS GOLD MEDAL 1500 m RACE AT THE 2000 OLYMPIC GAMES IN SYDNEY

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Each frame is .1 second apart. In this race, Grant Hackett recorded a time of 14:48.33. The second place finisher was the reigning two-time 1500-m champion, Kieren Perkins. At these Games, biomechanists recorded every event and determined start times, turn-times (5m in and out), stroke rates and lengths, and swimming efficiency. It was found that for most laps in this race, the swimming velocity of Perkins was better than Hackett, but Perkins lost the race because of accumulated deficits due to his slow turns. Perkins' loss could be attributed to his wearing of a sleeved, neck-to-ankle bodysuit that restricted the range of movements in important aspects of the turning action. Perkins also did not perform his former trademark double-leg kick off the wall, an innovation that marked his early successes and world-record swims.

Grant Hackett's stroke has changed little over the past four years (see and compare the analysis of his 1997 Pan Pacific Games swim). His times have changed little too. An underlying theme of this analysis is that for Hackett to improve, the mechanics of his left arm action will have to improve.

Notable Features

It is this phase of the stroke, the initiation of the left arm action, that Grant Hackett needs to improve to swim faster times over 1500m. The movements executed by the right arm in the early pull need to matched by those of the left arm. If that is done, the left arm will create earlier, greater, and more direct propulsive forces. Accumulated over a race of 200m or longer, the benefits of that change will be very substantial.

Grant Hackett exhibits excellent streamlining, a classic high-elbow action with his right arm, and the nuances of stroke "parking", a necessity that befalls a swimmer of his physical stature. It remains to be seen if he ever improves the important initiation phase of his left arm pull.

Grant Hackett 2000

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