HOW CHAMPIONS DO IT

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

GRANT HACKETT AT 340 m OF HIS SILVER MEDAL 400 m FREESTYLE RACE AT THE 1998 PERTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Each frame is .1 second apart.

At this stage of this race Grant Hackett was well ahead of Ian Thorpe but was caught just prior to the finish. The rivalry between Grant Hackett and Ian Thorpe over 400 m will be one of the classic features of competitive swimming at least until after the 2000 Olympic Games.

Notable Features

Grant Hackett is an outstanding distance freestyler. As with many of today's champions there is still room for improvement in his technique. His head-lift and breathing action causes compromises in technique as well as disrupting streamline.

Grant Hackett's recovery also causes his pulling action to have considerable lateral forces involved to counter-balance the side-sweep of the recovering arm. Emphasizing a very tight elbow bend very early in the recovery action could possibly reduce this. That would reduce the amount of lateral sweep in the recovery, particularly in the early part. That should result in the early stages of propulsion being more direct than currently exhibited. It is likely that the "braking" action of the feet would also be reduced.

The correction of these factors should be evidenced by a reduction in or eradication of the "braking" foot actions at the end of each kick.

It would be worthwhile to experiment with more shoulder roll in this swimmer's stroke. The added rotation would facilitate positioning forces of propulsion and recovery more above and under the midline than is currently evidenced.

Grant Hackett is a young world-champion who should improve markedly in the future.

Grant Hackett

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