Olympic and world swimming champion Ian Thorpe has notched the ninth fastest time in the history of the 400 meter freestyle final at the Australian Swimming Championships in Sydney.
Thorpe beat rival Grant Hackett Saturday, finishing the race in 3:42.41 minutes, with Hackett hitting the wall more than a half second later. Craig Stevens finished in third place.
It was the 20-year-old Aussie superstar's sixth consecutive 400 meter freestyle title. Thorpe has remained unbeaten in the 400 meter event since the 1998 world championships, and set the world record at last year's Manchester Commonwealth Games.