Grant Hackett has ruled out a fourth Olympic campaign, admitting the London Games in 2012 are "just unrealistic".
Hackett, 28, suffered a heart-breaking end to his quest for an Olympic 1500m gold medal three-peat in Beijing, finishing with silver and the respect of a nation.
After the race, Hackett refused to make any decisions about his future in the pool - but now the dust has settled, he has decided to rule out a play at a fourth Olympic medal in his pet 1500m event.
"I'd be 32," Hackett explained to Austereo.
"I'm definitely not going to do London. I just think that’s unrealistic.
"I don't want to have a career where I slowly drop off. I want to end where I know I can complete strongly."
Hackett has shopped short of announcing his retirement altogether.
"I could go another season or two. I sort of want to wait until the dust settles at the moment. There's so much hype after the Olympic Games and it's so exciting you feel like you could go on forever.
"Once I have a bit of a break I'll make a decision, talk to the people close to me and see what path I want to follow in my life."
The World Swimming Championships will be held in Rome next year, and Hackett admitted the prospect of exacting revenge on Tunisia's Oussama Mellouli - who pipped him for gold in Beijing - will be tempting.
"Rome looks attractive," said the Australian swimming captain.
