Hackett needed to finish in the first 10 to qualify for the Games. In a rough and tumble affair in Seville, Spain he ended up finishing in 15th place but was then disqualified for swimming over a competitor's legs.

But the physical overhang, not the norm for an elite athlete, is more a result of a wardrobe malfunction rather than a diet of hamburgers and beer.

In fact, Hackett's body is more finely chiselled than it has been for years, said his coach, Ian Pope. "He's in very good physical condition," Pope said. "As a matter of fact his skinfold measurements [which reveal body fat levels] are the lowest they have been for years. He's in A1 physical condition and he hasn't missed a beat in his training."

With two gold medals in his pet event, the 1500 metres freestyle, Hackett is shooting for an unprecedented third in Beijing. He will also swim the 400m freestyle, as he has in the past, although this time not in the wake of Ian Thorpe.

Pope suggested the state-of-the art swimwear, with a particularly tight strap at the top, tends to grip the body. Apparently, anything that doesn't fit in gets squeezed out the top. "Sometimes those tight bathers, when they put the strap on the top, it is an elastic thing and it has to be very tight so that no water gets in," he said.

"That was one of the issues with the new swimwear because water was coming through the top."

The Australian team captain according to former ironman Ky Hurst who trains with him, is in excellent physical shape but those unforgiving post race photos have been cause for much discussion in Australia.

Today's photos of Grant show a svelte Grant who has told reporters he has to laugh it off.

What do you think? Should everyone give Grant a break?