Grant Hackett

Man, now this guy can swim. If you think about distance swimming, his name should come to mind (at the very least for pool swimmers). Personally I think he is the greatest distance swimmer yet. He was undefeated for 10 years in the 1500m. And the first time he didn’t win that race was after his shoulder operation. In the 2004 Sydney Olympics, he was in the greatest form due to an illness, but he still managed to win the 1500m after most people doubted him. After the race he went to the doctor, where he found out he had a partially collapsed long resulting in a 25% loss of lung capacity. But the actual reason for writing this, is because I’m just a bit angry at himJ. He could’ve won the 1500m at the 2008 Being Olympic Games too, if only he had swum his own race. He was just a bit too focused on the wrong swimmer. But I really do hope he decides to make one last ditch effort at winning the race before he quits. My coach and I disagree on this one. I believe (and hope) that he will make an last effort and leave as the champion. While my coach thinks that he has probably been broken to bits by that last swim, because we all know he should’ve won it. Come on Grant, you can do this man.

Grant Hackett Wins a race!

South African Olympics a bit off

As some people may have realised, the South Africans did not feature at the 2008 Being Olympics. The athletes hardest hit by the media’s over critical comments were the swimmers. They might not have won any medals for us (which we needed badly seeing as we only won 1 silver), but it does not mean that they did not try. The biggest thing that most people do not understand, is that it is not EASY?! The media makes it out to be a walk in the park, but have they ever tried making it to the Olympics? Probably not, because if they had then they would not have been so quick to criticize our hard working athletes. This does not only apply to swimming though, but as I am in the know, I will relate most of this to swimming. My training partner and I both went to Olympic trials and though neither of us made it,(my training partner was a lot closer than I) we trained just like every other athlete who tried to make it. And if anyone can stand up and say it is easy to get to that level they must be crazy. I just feel people shuldn’t be so quick to judge our athletes if they never tried making it themselves. Remember these athletes do not get paid for competing, most still have to make their own income.