MELBOURNE, Australia, July 19. GRANT Hackett downed his seven-year-old world record in the men's 800 freestyle over short course meters at the Victorian Championships.
Hackett ripped off a time of 7:23.42 to eclipse is previous record of 7:25.28 set in Perth, Australia on Aug. 3, 2001.
Here is a comparison of the splits:
2008: 25.39, 52.92 (27.53), 1:20.76 (27.84), 1:48.55 (27.79), 2:16.47 (27.92), 2:44.62 (28.15), 3:12.83 (28.21), 3:41.02 (28.19), 4:08.99 (27.97), 4:37.22 (28.23), 5:05.43 (28.12), 5:33.75 (28.32), 6:01.92 (28.17), 6:30.09 (28.17), 6:57.29 (27.20), 7:23.42 (26.13)
2001: 25.05, 52.68 (27.63), 1:20.67 (27.99), 1:48.78 (28.11), 2:16.92 (28.14), 2:45.19 (28.27), 3:13.46 (28.27), 3:41.84 (28.38), 4:09.95 (28.11), 4:38.33 (28.38), 5:06.65 (28.32), 5:35.01 (28.36), 6:03.02 (28.01), 6:30.91 (27.89), 6:58.56 (27.65), 7:25.28 (26.72)
Hackett also topped the men's 400 free in a near-world record time of 3:35.16. He owns the standing global record of 3:34.58 set in 2002 in Sydney.
While Hackett definitely had the strongest swims of the meet, plenty of other top times were posted.
Kelly Stubbins won four titles with wins in the 100 free: 54.86, 200 free: 1:58.80, 400 free: 4:14.10 and 200 back: 2:15.09.
The men had two swimmers who won three titles apiece. Matt Targett posted a title trifecta in the 50 free: 21.54, 100 free: 47.23 and 50 fly: 23.48. Meanwhile, Nick Cordner nabbed wins in the 200 back: 1:58.47, 200 fly: 1:58.61 and 400 IM: 4:20.50.
Several other swimmers doubled during the two-day meet. For the women, Marieke Guehrer (50 free: 25.09), (50 fly: 26.30); Laura Harney (800 free: 8:55.98), (1500 free: 17:10.04); Amy Cockerton (50 back: 28.48), (100 back: 1:01.06); Sarah Katsoulis (50 breast: 31.30), (100 breast: 1:07.64) and Shayne Reese (100 IM: 1:01.58), (200 IM: 2:13.42) did the trick.
Daniel Blackborrow (50 back: 25.27), (100 back: 54.57); Karl Wurzer (50 breast: 29.08), (100 breast: 1:01.92) and Sam Ashby (100 IM: 57.04), (200 IM: 2:01.17) also won a pair of crowns for the men.
Individual wins came from Leisel Jones (200 breast: 2:18.26), Talia Goddard (100 fly: 1:02.61), Elizabeth Brown (200 fly: 2:17.13) and Holly Brettle (400 IM: 4:56.05) for the women, while Travis Nederpelt (200 free: 1:48.52), Riley Schmidt (1500 free: 15:33.35), Jeremy Meyer (200 breast: 2:19.49) and Paul Benson (100 fly: 55.44) earned victories for the men.