SYDNEY - Australia's Olympic swimming champion Grant Hackett believes the pressure will be on his younger rivals to stop him making history at next year's Beijing Games.

File photo shows Grant Hackett of Australia, who believes the pressure will be on his younger rivals rather than on him at next year's Beijing Games. Hackett was toppled in the 400m and 1500m freestyle events at this year's world championships in Melbourne, but believes he has re-established himself heading into Olympic year. [Olympic]

Hackett, world swimmer of the year in 2005, will be bidding to become the first male swimmer to win the same individual events at three Olympics when he lines up in the 1500 metres freestyle in China next year.

The lanky Queenslander was unbeaten in the event for more than a decade until his surprise defeat at this year's world championships in Melbourne, but believes that loss will work in his favour.

The 27-year-old insists the pressure of winning in Beijing has been lifted from his shoulders and transferred to his younger rivals, Poland's Mateusz Sawrymowicz and South Korean Park Tae-hwan.

"People say that with the third gold medal there's a lot of pressure but it's not to be honest. It's fun, I'm enjoying it," Hackett told reporters on Monday.

"I feel a lot more comfortable at this stage of my career with the experience I've got and the way I'm enjoying the sport.

"I have won at an Olympics before. I don't feel like I have to prove myself."

Hackett was badly out of form heading into this year's world championships, finishing third behind Park in the 400 and seventh behind Sawrymowicz in the 1500, but has quickly rediscovered his motivation.

He is confident of winning both the 400 and 1500 in Beijing, believing the heat will be on his rivals to reproduce their best efforts in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of an Olympics.

"These guys are going into their first ones, so the pressure really is on them," Hackett said.

"I know what it feels like wanting to win an Olympic gold medal and you do put a lot of pressure on yourself and I don't think that is really healthy."

While Hackett's main focus in Beijing is winning the 1500, he is also planning to leave the safety of the pool and tackle the 10-kilometre open water event, which is being held at the Olympics for the first time.

He won the Australian Olympic qualifier at the weekend and needs only a top-10 finish at next May's world championships in Seville to gain an automatic berth for Beijing, where he is likely to be among the favourites.