King’s Christian College student ends Grant Hackett’s 32-year reign

A 12-year-old Gold Coast talent has broken an iconic Grant Hackett record that has stood for 32-years.

King’s Christian College student Braxtyn Truman has already been touted as a potential star of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, after his scorching swim at the Gold Coast Long Course Championship on Friday 28 February.

Braxtyn is the first Aussie competing in an U12 event to best Hackett’s 400m freestyle swim in 1993, Code Sports reported.

According to the Townsville Bulletin’s Nic Darveniza, Truman’s 400m freestyle time of 4.39.98 was 0.31 seconds quicker than the mark Hackett established as the benchmark for more than three decades.

“He broke a record set by Grant Hackett in 1993, in one of Grant’s premier events,” Swimming Gold Coast president Warren Dopson said.

“The record Braxtyn broke of Grant’s was set seven years out from Sydney (Olympics in 2000), and we’re now seven years out from Brisbane.

“If there’s such a thing as omens this is a really good sign. He (Braxtyn) is young, he is only 12, but he’s off to a great start — and the time frame is exactly the same.”

The young gun is very aware of the similarities between his journey and the path Hackett took on his way to three Olympic gold medals, countless world records and 10 world titles.

“I’m training my heart out to hopefully make the Olympics one day and follow in Grant Hackett’s footsteps to win those events,” Braxtyn told Code Sports.

“It would make me feel really special and excited. It would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I could be racing in the Olympics.

“With all my hard work and dedication, hopefully one day I’ll make it.”