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A SURPRISE dinner with former captain Grant Hackett is set to inspire the Australian swim team to confront the might of the US and prove their Commonwealth Games success was no one-hit wonder.
With his life back on track after a stint in rehab in the US for sleeping tablet addiction, Hackett made a surprise appearance when ex-swimmers mingled with the present team at a gathering organised by former Olympian Andrew Baildon in his home on Monday evening.
Hackett had not been near the swim team since his well-publicised personal battles emerged at the start of 2014 but the current stars were delighted at his presence as they prepare to face world No.1 US at the Pan Pacs on the Gold Coast tomorrow.
"Hacky is great, he is a superstar in and out of the pool," team leader Cate Campbell said.
"He is so supportive and has been an integral part of the team for so many years.
"I think having him back on board is great, we can learn so much from him and he is a real inspiration to all of us."
Rising distance star Mack Horton said he'd taken great optimism out of his chat with Hackett, with the two-times Olympic champ offering confidence that distance swimmers can repeat performances at successive major events as the team prepares to race just three weeks after the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
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"He was telling me how he always felt the second meet was his strongest so that gave me confidence in backing up at a second meet a couple weeks later so that should be good," Horton said.
At the last Pan Pacs in 2010 Australia finished with a medal tally of four gold, 12 silver and 10 bronze medals as the US romped to a comprehensive 26-15-7 victory.
Based on world rankings in 2014, Australia can expect anywhere from five to eight gold medals in the pool this week.
Head coach Jacco Verhaeren warned Australia needed to be wary of Japan who has become an emerging superpower in the pool and a nation capable of taking second place on the medal tally from Australia.
"Since arriving in Australia I sense there is a lot of talk about USA but the world is bigger than USA, there is Japan here with world-class athletes in the water," Verhaeren said.
"There are world-class athletes everywhere in the world and we can measure ourselves all the time, virtually or in the race and this week we are racing USA and Japan.
"The goal is going to be exactly the same, it's to race to the best of our abilities, maximise performance and take up the challenge.
"It's no more or no less (important) than the Commonwealth Games."
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