South Korean teenager Park Tae-hwan, who grabbed the country's first gold medals at a major international swim meet, has set his sights on Australia's multiple world and Olympic champion Grant Hackett.
Park, who turns 17 in September, won gold in the men's 400 and 1,500 metres freestyle at the Pan Pacific championships in Victoria, Canada. He also won silver in the 200m and 800m.
"I want to take on the world's best Grant Hackett," Park told reporters after he arrived back in South Korea laast night. "I want to compete against Hackett at the world championship in March next year."
Park did not have the opportunity to face Hackett in Canada as several of Australia's top swimmers decided to skip the meet.
Hackett has not competed seriously since last year's world championships in Montreal after surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right shoulder.
"The biggest win for me at this meet was self confidence," Park said.