Sink or swim with Grant Hackett

Australia’s Ashes-winning summer was golden, and the winter continues to be just as gilded with swimming legend Grant Hackett appearing at the team's fitness camp.

Hackett, a three-time Olympic gold medal winner who has held world records across eight events at different stages of his career – two of which still stand – was the latest in a growing line of Olympian guest appearances.

Hackett took the team for a swim session on Thursday afternoon, punishing them with lap after lap and stoking their competitive fire with relay races.

The Gold Coast-born swim star jumped into the pool with the team to demonstrate first-hand his easy stroke and effortless glide through the water.

"We’re just going to do a few easy laps of backstroke now," Hackett told the team midway through the session.

"Can you tell us how to do ‘easy’? " came the reply.

Anecdotes and laughs were mixed with motivating speeches but when it came to the final challenge the champion's competitive instinct took over, chasing down one of the team's strongest swimmers despite a headstart of more than half a pool length.

"From one sport to another, those fundamental pillars of success, teamwork and unity are all pretty much the same," Hackett told cricket.com.au after the session.

"The one thing about Australian sport, we're a small country but whether it's the swim team, the rugby team or the cricket team, we love to get an opportunity to mix. So to come here today, get a bit of involvement with the boys, take them through a small training session – hurt them a little bit, but have some fun – I think it was good.

"I think it's that camaraderie and doing things like that that builds that culture within the team."

Hackett told the team how his spirits were buoyed by the Ashes success and to keep in mind that their on-field efforts can lift a nation, spurring them on to push harder in training.

"For me, when the Australian cricket team does well the whole country seems to be doing well, so we rely on them a fair bit," Hackett said.

Nathan Lyon paid tribute to the inspiring words from the retired champion.

"It was fantastic to have a legend of Australian swimming come and teach us a few things and take us through the ropes," said Lyon.

"He spoke to us about what his routine was when he was trying to get to be the best in the world and when you hear that come from his mouth it really puts it into our shoes why we do the one-percent things."

Hackett is the second Olympic champion to visit the National Cricket Centre's pool after Stephanie Rice put the team through a workout in week one of the fitness camp.

Olympic weightlifter Damon Kelly has been a regular visitor to the NCC throughout the camp, guiding the team through lifting techniques, while Andy Utting – part of the baseball team that won silver in 2004 in Athens – has also visited to help refine their throwing skills.