Nickname(s) "Bobby" Name Bobby Hackett Education Harvard University College team Harvard University Weight 83 kg | Sport Swimming Height 1.88 m National team United States Role Olympic athlete Strokes Freestyle swimming | |
Full name Robert William Hackett, Jr. Born August 15, 1959 (age 64) ( 1959-08-15 ) Yonkers, New York Club Bernal's Gator Swim Club Olympic medals Swimming at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metre freestyle |
Robert William Hackett, Jr. (born August 16, 1959) is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder. He represented the United States at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec as a 16-year-old, where he won a silver medal in the men's 1500-meter freestyle, finishing behind U.S. teammate Brian Goodell.
He was trained by coach Joe Bernal. Bernal, the former head coach of Bernal's Gator Swim Club in Boston, Massachusetts, was known to have given Hackett 100 x 100 yard sets on the 1:00 interval. Hackett still holds one of the oldest National Age Group records, a 15:03.91 in the 1,500-meter freestyle (long-course meters). He set the record by shattering the previous record at the 1976 Olympics.
Currently, Hackett is living and working in the New York metro area, near where he grew up. He has made a living in commercial real estate and is volunteer coaching with the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester Marlins.