Aussie Olympic Trials

swimnews.com/.../displayStory.jhtml Nine world records have fallen so far this year, and Olympic trials season is only just dawning. All the new marks have one thing in common: the pioneer was wearing a Speedo LZR Racer. Is there now a club of swimmers who have a technical advantage over rivals because of the equipment they are wearing? There'll be much more on that theme in the weeks and months ahead. Here's how the sequence has unfolded so far: 16/02/08: 200m backstroke - Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) 2:06.39 17/02/08: 50m freestyle - Eamon Sullivan (AUS) 21.56 17/02/08: 100m backstroke - Natalie Coughlin (USA) 59.21 08/03/08: 50m backstroke - Hayley McGregory (USA) 28.00 18/03/08: 4x100m freestyle - (NED) 3:33.62 (Dekker, 53.77; Kromowidjojo, 53.61; Heemskerk, 53.62, and Veldhuis, 52.62) 21/03/08: 100m freestyle - Alain Bernard (FRA) 47.60 22/03/08: 400m medley - Stephanie Rice (AUS) 4:31.46 22/03/08: 50m backstroke - Emily Seebohm (AUS) 27.95 22/03/08: 100m freestyle - Alain Bernard (FRA) 47.50.

swimnews.com/.../displayStory.jhtml Nine world records have fallen so far this year, and Olympic trials season is only just dawning. All the new marks have one thing in common: the pioneer was wearing a Speedo LZR Racer. Is there now a club of swimmers who have a technical advantage over rivals because of the equipment they are wearing? There'll be much more on that theme in the weeks and months ahead. Here's how the sequence has unfolded so far: 16/02/08: 200m backstroke - Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) 2:06.39 17/02/08: 50m freestyle - Eamon Sullivan (AUS) 21.56 17/02/08: 100m backstroke - Natalie Coughlin (USA) 59.21 08/03/08: 50m backstroke - Hayley McGregory (USA) 28.00 18/03/08: 4x100m freestyle - (NED) 3:33.62 (Dekker, 53.77; Kromowidjojo, 53.61; Heemskerk, 53.62, and Veldhuis, 52.62) 21/03/08: 100m freestyle - Alain Bernard (FRA) 47.60 22/03/08: 400m medley - Stephanie Rice (AUS) 4:31.46 22/03/08: 50m backstroke - Emily Seebohm (AUS) 27.95 22/03/08: 100m freestyle - Alain Bernard (FRA) 47.50.