posted Apr 21, 2008

My sense is that the new suits are making a marginal difference but I suppose wearing goggles is also a technical assistance. The notion that swimmmers are gaining unfair advantage from this is to misrepresent the sense that in the absence of these suits there exists a level playing field which is simply not the case. I don't expect anyone from outside the established developed countries of the world to make finals let alone challenge for medals in Beijing, there just isn't the infrastructure: the few that do will in the vast majority of cases be trained at US universities and indeed if they are good enough people will fund them. This is not to say that I would not like to see swimmers from more countries doing well but that this is not, nor has it ever been, reducible to access to a certain suit.

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posted Apr 24, 2008

I think the suits do give an advantage and assist streamlining but you cannot just state that the suits help win races, this is a combination of factors such as pre competition preparation, how ready the swimmer prepared on the day (physically and mentally) for the event, the genetics of the swimmer and any external influences in the surrounding environment.

On the subject of equipment/enhancements I think the next thing to emerge will be a replacement for the swimming goggles, perhaps something along the lines of contact lenses for swimming pools allowing you to see in and out of the pool. Will they be considered an unfair advantage or just the next evolution in equipment for this sport?

I have to admit in countries where scholarships and training facilities are available you should have a higher proportion of swimmers competing and achieving faster times and world records.

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posted Apr 24, 2008

If eric the eel had one of these suits he'd undoubtably have won!

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posted Apr 24, 2008

Body suits don't make people faster. They simply allow people to realise their full potential. It's not like the suit gives actual propulsion, it simply enhances streamlining and reduces muscle oscillation. If people are keen on banning these suits, how about banning hats as well, as they help streamline the swimmer's head? Or maybe we should ban swimmers from shaving down? Perhaps this kind of attitude should be adopted in other sports as well...should we ban formula 1 cars having spoilers and splitters?

Maybe it's about time swimmers are recognised for the work they put into performing well, rather than constantly cheapening their achievements.

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posted Apr 24, 2008

Lets think about this. Technology has always help improve all sports.............along with better training methods, better diets, and professionalism.
So why all the fuss.
Swimmers have a new faster suit to wear, haven't they over the years made footballs and the boots lighter so a faster more skillful game can be played??
Track athletes over the years have benefited from better footwear, and improved surfaces to run on.

Its olympic year everybody is training a lot harder to make their national teams and to compete on the world stage. Thus this stands that records will get broken standards are being raised.

Lets get behind our athletes and be proud of their achievements, god knows they have put a lot of work time and effort into getting there.

ps used to be a comp swimmer so I know how many hours the top guys spend in the pool!!

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posted Apr 24, 2008

Yes, but all 22 players on a football pitch play with the same lighter ball, and all athletes in a race are on the same track. The costs of footwear are not a barrier in the same may that these swimming suits are.

If the suits are to be used then why not have an identical set supplied by the event organisers. The same way they supply javelins and pole vault poles.

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posted May 5, 2008

If the technological development in swimsuits is sufficiently major that the time is not reasonably comparable to those times set before the change, you end up with two records. Before and after.

This happens all the time in shooting when courses of fire are changed or target layouts are changed even very slightly (even if they get no larger or smaller). You don't just calculate what the record would be on the new target and port their record over, you start a new book.

I could not say what is appropriate in this individual case as I don't know anything about swimsuit technology.
The problem with swimming records generally is the change to new suits/caps/goggles has been gradual as technology has developed (unlike changing a target layout, which is a point change defined at a particular time). I imagine today's swimming kit is totally uncomparable to kit from even 20 years ago, and offers many artificial benefits, but at which point do you draw the line?

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posted May 5, 2008

"Well lets face it, I do have a wealth of swimming knowledge that none of you little sporting enthusiasts could even hope to possess."

Strong words from a 16 year old.
I admit you will know more about swimming than me, and I will know more about shooting and gunsmithing than you, but please restrain yourself from making such arrogant comments as the one above. All it does is destroy your credibility.

The board welcomes experts and people who know what they're talking about. It doesn't welcome arrogant self-important *self-censored*.

Make sure you fall into the first category

Also, bear in mind you don't know who you're talking to. Do not make the assumption everyone on here is an armchair sportsman and you know more than everyone put together. Some people here could drag you through the mud. There are some national level sportpeople (like yourself) frequenting these boards. Don't make an idiot out of yourself in front of them.

You've made a great start in life and one day I expect you will be a GB coach and will be a world-renowned expert on all things swimming. But you ain't yet. So don't be an arse

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posted May 6, 2008

There's also the point that no matter how experienced you are there's always something to learn. When I was actively shooting my coach used to suggest a few different new techniques ranging from physical to mental and I used to think "don't be so blinking ridiculous, how's that going to work" but invariably they did work and I was eternally grateful for the suggestions!

Anything that shaves off 0.01 of a second from your time or means you hit one more bullseye than normal can make the difference between gold and silver.

The new swimsuits may make a marginal physical difference but even if the effect is only psychological it can still make a massive difference. At competitive level, mental training and positive attitude can have a big effect. Derrick Redmond (who broke his hamstring in the 400m in Barcelona but continued limping round the track) said that in his mind he'd won the race and because his mental focus was so strong he blocked out the pain barrier and carried on. He only gave up when his Dad ran on to the track to help him over the finish line.

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posted May 8, 2008

wonder if German team is the only swim team to ever become complained against at the Olympics level. I remember the skaters in Canada getting questioned about their blade thicknesses at the Montreal Olympics

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