Quote Swimming Science Journal. The new bodysuits are a threat to the very nature of swimming, because some will benefit more than others, some might get them in better fitted form, women benefit more than men, and more. “The Genie is out of the bottle while the man behind the curtain is left holding Pandora’s box”, proclaims Brent Rutemiller here on SwimInfo.
Month: April 2008
American Jessica Hardy clocked an astonishing 29.58 at the 2008 FINA World Short Course Championships in Manchester this evening, claiming the world record of 29.90 that had stood to Australian Jade Edminstone since 2005. Sources: SwimNews and SwimInfo.
Coaching guru Forbes Carlile has sent an open letter stating that his sport is being prostituted by new suit technology. Italy head coach Alberto Castagnetti describes the LZR as ‘technological doping’, and FINA president Mustapha Larfaoui is open to review the suit rules. Craig Lord at SwimNews.com wants FINA to bar bodysuits at all junior events, because of the potential $40.000 of costs a year. Meanwhile, Mitzuno launches a new suit that they say rivals the LZR Racer.
Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry set a new 400 IM SCM world record in a race where no 2 and 3 also swam within the former world record. USA crushed the 400 freestyle relay SCM world record, and the Dutch women totally obliterated the 800 freestyle relay SCM world record with more than 7 seconds, in a race where 4 teams (!) went clear under the 6 year old world record.
Here is the 400 IM final in Spanish
As stated here on fina.org, FINA has now incorporated the new version of the WADA World Anti-Doping Code into its rules, together with a new set of FINA Medical & Ethic Rules.
The FINA Extraordinary Congress has also approved the adoption of a starting platform in swimming that may have an adjustable setting back plate (to be implemented only after the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing), the definition of 10km open water events as ‘Marathon Swimming’, and the new regulations related to cases of emergency abandonment of open water swimming races.
There is no doubt the suit makes a difference and there is no doubt that there is one manufacturer that’s put millions into research while the other manufacturers are more into fashion.
Read all about it here on swimnews.com.
The 2008 FINA World Swimming Championships start lists are now available here on omegatiming.com.
The team entry lists of the 2008 FINA World Swimming Championships are now available here on manchester2008.org.
Quite interesting that Libby Trickett took only one breath when breaking world record in the long course 50 meters freestyle at the Australian Trials, when she a few days earlier took what seems like more than 30 breaths in the also world record breaking 100.
50 freestyle:
100 freestyle:
The Australian gold medallist from Athens 2004 expects a lot from the upcoming Swimming World Championships in Manchester. “It’s an Olympic year, world records have been tumbling and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a few more set in Manchester”.
Source: manchester2008.org