World championship heroes Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett shared the Australian Swimmer of the Year award - the first tie in the 14-year history of the prize.

It was the fifth consecutive year Thorpe has won Australian swimming's highest honour.

But for Hackett, it is his first major award and just reward for an extraordinary year which saw him maintain his unbeaten seven-year streak in the 1500m freestyle and win his third world title in the event.

Judges could not split the pair, who led the Australian assault at the world championships in Barcelona in July.

Thorpe joined Hackett as a three-time world champion in his pet event - the 400m freestyle.

Both swimmers won three gold, one silver and one bronze medal at the worlds - enough to give them the judges' nod over world record holders Leisel Jones and Matt Welsh.

Thorpe also won the individual medley, middle distance freestyle and sprint freestyle swimmer of the year awards at tonight's ceremony at Melbourne's Grand Hyatt ballroom.

Hackett was named distance freestyle swimmer of the year for the seventh straight time.

In other awards, multiple world record holder Chantel Wolfenden was named swimmer of the year with a disability while disabled swimmer, Daniel Bell, won the Telstra People's Choice award.

Olympic and world championship relay gold medallist Todd Pearson won the swimmers' swimmer of the year award - voted by Australian swim team members.

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