LOLZ @ Michael Phelps
- Thread starter Coxy
- Start date
Jeba said:
These latest suits are another advancement from the ones the top swimmers all wore in Beijing. The "lasersuits" were actually banned at the Olympics and were supposed to be banned from the Worlds as well, but FINA did a backflip only about a month or 2 ago. Now I'm not in the same league of conspiracy theorists as some others around here - but I do think there is something dodgy going on that they suddenly changed their ruling out of no-where. eusa_think
I don't have a problem with the suits they wore at the Olympics - they didn't have the same buoyancy factor as these latest ones and most of the top swimmers had them (it was in Speedo's best interests to ensure that!). I still think the swimmers that won in Beijing would still have won if everyone had older suits the only thing we wouldn't have seen is all the new world records and personally I'm not really that fussed about world records, I don't care if they are broken or not.
Jeba
International
- Mar 4, 2008
- 6,501
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Well my issue is that world records were broken way too easily, under the suits they wore in Beijing. It was so much better when world records were the hardest thing in the world to break, these days it's expected that they will tumble.
Remember in the Australian championships back when they were swimming to qualify for Sydney 2000, and Susie O'Neill set herself to break Mary T Meagher's record that stood for 19 years? Everyone knew she would win the race and qualify for the Olympics, but everyone was in absolute anticipation to see if she could finally break that world record. That's what we want to see!!
Remember in the Australian championships back when they were swimming to qualify for Sydney 2000, and Susie O'Neill set herself to break Mary T Meagher's record that stood for 19 years? Everyone knew she would win the race and qualify for the Olympics, but everyone was in absolute anticipation to see if she could finally break that world record. That's what we want to see!!
Maybe some people. Personally I like to see good racing, I don't care if the records are broken or not, because ultimately any record set is assisted by the technology of time whether it be equipment, training techniques, the actual venue, etc etc etc.
Jeba
International
- Mar 4, 2008
- 6,501
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Do these suits create better racing though? I think they split the field even further.
Take Phelps for example. He is obviously the best swimmer in the world. A swimmer with his ability would be able to get a better advantage over a swimmer not as good as he is. The stronger you are, the better you will be at taking of advantage of what is on offer. If you know what I mean.
Take Phelps for example. He is obviously the best swimmer in the world. A swimmer with his ability would be able to get a better advantage over a swimmer not as good as he is. The stronger you are, the better you will be at taking of advantage of what is on offer. If you know what I mean.
Bannermania
NRL Captain
- Mar 5, 2008
- 3,709
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They're making swimming a joke. These new suits trap in air.. and air creates bouyancy.. not fair. The guys who are wearing these full length suits are practically floating on top of the water. Hardly competitive.
Yeah I know what you mean. But Idon't have a problem with the suits they wore at the Olympics because all the real contenders were wearing the same thing, so I don't believe it had any impact on the final result. I think the top guys (and gals) are always going to be the top ones and the racing between them will be pretty much the same no matter what they are wearing if it's basically the same thing. However the buoyancy in the latest suits does change things significantly. I can't really explain it in simple terms, but I had a couple of sports scientists take me through it - and these suits compensate for poor technique somewhat, so does give more of an advantage to a nuffie than it would to someone like Phelps or Rice who already have great technique - so a good swimmer is going to be able to better match it with a great swimmer in this suit, even if they are both wearing the same one.
Jeba
International
- Mar 4, 2008
- 6,501
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I see your point Flutterby but I disagree.
For example, if I took on Phelps in a pair of DT's, he'd smash me no doubt. At the end of the day me in DT's would pull in the ladies like bees to honey, but that's beside the point.
If I took on Phelps and we were both wearing the suits they wore in Beijing he would beat me by even further. Let's just say they make you 10% faster (not saying they do, just using a simple number for the example).
We'll say Phelps in a normal swimsuit swims 50 metres at 2.2 metres/second = 22.73 seconds
We'll use my 50m PB of 32.05 seconds = 1.563 metres/second.
So Phelps has 0.637 metres/second advantage over me
2.2 x 10% = 0.22, and with the Beijing suit he swims = 2.42 metres/second
1.56 x 10% = 0.156, and with the Beijing suit I swim = 1.716 metres/second
With the suit he has 0.704 metres/second advantage over me
So Phelps gains another 0.067 seconds on me if we both wear the Beijing suit. It may not seem like much but in an event like the Olympics it is very often the difference between gold and silver.
For example, if I took on Phelps in a pair of DT's, he'd smash me no doubt. At the end of the day me in DT's would pull in the ladies like bees to honey, but that's beside the point.
If I took on Phelps and we were both wearing the suits they wore in Beijing he would beat me by even further. Let's just say they make you 10% faster (not saying they do, just using a simple number for the example).
We'll say Phelps in a normal swimsuit swims 50 metres at 2.2 metres/second = 22.73 seconds
We'll use my 50m PB of 32.05 seconds = 1.563 metres/second.
So Phelps has 0.637 metres/second advantage over me
2.2 x 10% = 0.22, and with the Beijing suit he swims = 2.42 metres/second
1.56 x 10% = 0.156, and with the Beijing suit I swim = 1.716 metres/second
With the suit he has 0.704 metres/second advantage over me
So Phelps gains another 0.067 seconds on me if we both wear the Beijing suit. It may not seem like much but in an event like the Olympics it is very often the difference between gold and silver.
But that's what I am trying to say Jeb - with these new lasersuits, Phelps would improve by .67 secs, but you would improve your time by probably .95 secs. Basically the better your technique and natural ability already is, the less advantage you get from these buoyancy suits. So yeah while in your case, he would still smash you, in the case of someone else who is good enough to make the Olympics thought not necessarily win, it brings them much more into the frame to beat him.
They're made with titanium and polyurethane. I'm all for sports moving with the times and utilising technology...but suits made of titanium and polyurethane? Ridiculous. There has to come a point where enough is enough and surely swimming has reached that point with the other suits swimmers have available to them.
And given that FINA is banning the use of the suits in the future, any world record set while wearing one should not be ratified. FINA is a giant mess and they have buggered up big time on this issue.
And given that FINA is banning the use of the suits in the future, any world record set while wearing one should not be ratified. FINA is a giant mess and they have buggered up big time on this issue.
Anonymous person
Banned User
- Dec 16, 2008
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Doesn't Phelps only wear the pants usually? I don't think he wears the full suit.Dave said:
I say let them keep their buoyant suits..........but have the organisation supply them to every competitor. If they're not gonna do that, outlaw them.
Personally I think they should get rid of the the suits, full stop. DT's and a swimming cap.
