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articles Kowalski injury good for Perkins Kieren Perkins and Grant Hackett will carry Australia's 1500m hopes at the Pan Pacific Championships in August after the withdrawal of Daniel Kowalski. The man with the most to gain from Olympic medallist Daniel Kowalski's career-threatening shoulder injury wished him a quick recovery yesterday. Kieren Perkins said he was disappointed for Kowalski, who has been forced to pull out of the Pan Pacific swimming championships in August in what will be a dress rehearsal for the Olympics. Kowalski underwent exploratory shoulder surgery in Melbourne on Tuesday in a bid to save his swimming career. He was operated on by Greg Hoy, the same surgeon who treated cricketer Shane Warne. The Olympic medallist's recurring shoulder problems have placed a question mark over his inclusion in next year's Olympic team and may provide an opening for Perkins. But Perkins was far from rubbing his hands with glee at Kowalski's misfortune. ``Daniel and I have raced together many times over the years. We're close friends as well as competitors,'' the dual Olympic champion said. ``I'm looking forward to racing him again. I hope that Daniel recovers quickly as we have an outstanding opportunity to compete at the 2000 Olympics. ``It will be terrible if he missed that due to something as unfortunate as a shoulder injury.'' It was only after Kowalski fell ill and was forced to pull out of the 1500m freestyle final at the Pan Pac trials in Brisbane in March that Perkins received a spot in the team. Perkins has been nowhere near his world-record-shattering best for almost five years and only two swimmers will be eligible to contest the 1500m freestyle for Australia at next year's Sydney Olympics. With Perkins, Kowalski and world champion Grant Hackett vying for the two berths, Kowalski's injury may give Perkins the opening he needs for a shot at becoming the first male swimmer to win three consecutive Olympic titles in the same event.
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