Grant Hackett Biography: Awards, Spouse, Age, Net Worth, Height, Olympics, Siblings, Children
Grant George Hackett, professionally known as Grant Hackett, is an Australian former competitive swimmer, corporate executive, and sports commentator who became one of history’s most accomplished distance freestyle swimmers.
He rose to international prominence through his extraordinary success in the 1,500-meter freestyle, an event in which he remained unbeaten at major international championships for more than a decade.
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He won three Olympic gold medals and two silver medals, and his world championship performances established him as one of Australia’s greatest swimmers.
After retiring from elite competition, Hackett successfully moved into financial services and executive leadership, later combining his corporate career with television work and sports commentary.
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| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Real Name: | Grant George Hackett |
| Stage Name: | Grant Hackett |
| Born: | May 9, 1980 (age 46 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Southport, Queensland, Australia |
| Nationality: | Australian |
| Ethnicity: | Australian |
| Height: | 6 ft 6 in (1.97 m) |
| Religion: | Christianity |
| Parents: | Neville Hackett, Margaret Hackett |
| Siblings: | Craig Hackett |
| Spouse: | Sharlene Fletcher |
| Relationship: | Married |
| Children: | Charlize Alley Hackett, Jagger Emilio Hackett, Edward Hackett, Olympia Grace Hackett |
| Occupation: | Former Competitive Swimmer, Corporate Executive, Sports Commentator |
| Net Worth: | $12 million |
Early Life and Education
Grant George Hackett was born on May 9, 1980, in Southport on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia, and is 46 years old. He was raised by his parents, Neville Hackett and Margaret Hackett, alongside his older brother, Craig Hackett.
His father worked as a police officer, while his mother had overcome a serious cancer diagnosis before giving birth to Grant.
Growing up on the Gold Coast, Hackett was surrounded by Australia’s strong swimming and surf lifesaving culture.
He took up swimming at a young age and eventually developed the endurance and technique that would define his career.
Hackett attended Merrimac State High School while balancing his education with increasingly demanding swimming commitments. He continued his academic ambitions alongside his sporting career when he enrolled at Bond University.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws, then completed a Diploma of Financial Services and an Executive Master of Business Administration.
Personal Life
Grant Hackett has been married twice. He married singer Candice Alley in 2007. They welcomed twins, Charlize Alley Hackett and Jagger Emilio Hackett, in 2009. The couple divorced in 2013.
After the end of his first marriage, Hackett experienced a difficult period involving depression and substance dependency. His struggles became public and eventually led him to seek professional treatment and rehabilitation.
He later began a relationship with Sharlene Fletcher, a vegan dessert chef, and the couple eventually married in Melbourne in December 2020. They have two children together, Edward Hackett and Olympia Grace Hackett.
Hackett and Fletcher have maintained a family life in Melbourne while Hackett continues his work in business, television, and sports.
Career
Grant Hackett began making his mark in international swimming during the late 1990s.
He won the 1,500-meter freestyle at the 1997 Pan Pacific Championships before claiming his first world championship title in the same event at the 1998 World Championships in Perth.
His Olympic breakthrough came at the 2000 Sydney Games. Competing in front of a home crowd, Hackett won gold in the 1,500-meter freestyle and helped Australia claim gold in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. He also won bronze in the 400-meter freestyle.
At the 2001 World Championships in Fukuoka, Hackett broke the 1,500-meter freestyle world record in 14:34.56.
He dominated the distance event for years, making him one of Australian swimming’s most reliable championship performers. The 2004 Athens Olympics further strengthened his legacy.
Hackett successfully defended his Olympic 1,500-meter freestyle title despite competing with a partially collapsed lung. He also won silver medals in the 400-meter freestyle and 4×200-meter freestyle relay.
Hackett captained the Australian swimming team from 2005 and remained one of its most prominent leaders through the 2008 Beijing Olympics. At those Games, he won silver in the 1,500-meter freestyle and bronze in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay.
Following his initial retirement, Hackett entered the financial services industry, working with Westpac and BT Financial Group.
He later became chief executive officer of Generation Life, building a substantial corporate career outside competitive swimming.
He briefly returned to elite swimming in 2015, qualified for Australia’s world championship relay squads, and then ended his competitive career permanently.
He subsequently continued his involvement in sport through television presenting, commentary, athlete mentoring, and public appearances.
Controversy
Hackett experienced several highly publicised personal difficulties after retiring from swimming.
His struggles included issues involving substance dependency, mental health, and family-related incidents that received extensive media attention.
In 2017, his family reported him missing following a period of severe personal distress. The episode ultimately led to professional treatment and became an important turning point in his recovery.
Hackett later rebuilt his personal and professional life and returned to a more prominent role in Australian business and sport.
Awards
- Gold Medal – 1,500m Freestyle, World Championships (1998)
- Silver Medal – 400m Freestyle, World Championships (1998)
- Gold Medal – 1,500m Freestyle, Sydney Olympic Games (2000)
- Gold Medal – 4×200m Freestyle Relay, Sydney Olympic Games (2000)
- Bronze Medal – 400m Freestyle, Sydney Olympic Games (2000)
- Australian Sports Medal (2000)
- Centenary Medal (2001)
- Gold Medal – 1,500m Freestyle, Athens Olympic Games (2004)
- Silver Medal – 400m Freestyle, Athens Olympic Games (2004)
- Silver Medal – 4×200m Freestyle Relay, Athens Olympic Games (2004)
- Medal of the Order of Australia (2005)
- Swimming World Swimmer of the Year (2005)
- Silver Medal – 1,500m Freestyle, Beijing Olympic Games (2008)
- Bronze Medal – 4×200m Freestyle Relay, Beijing Olympic Games (2008)
- Inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (2010)
- Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (2014)
Net Worth
Grant Hackett has an estimated net worth of $12 million.
His wealth has been built through his elite swimming career, sponsorships, corporate partnerships, public appearances, television work, and executive positions in the financial services industry.
Social Media
- Instagram: @grant__hackett
What People Ask
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