So when someone says they will quit because they can no longer aid their swimming artificially, a small very ugly part of me says "good riddance." (The better part of me says nothing of the sort, of course.)
Sure, people who wear tech suits (mostly) train hard. But there is no denying it is an artificial aid to speed, no different conceptually from fins or wetsuits (which are the "ultimate" tech suit, of course, but have been around for quite some time).
Those who would quit now that the suits are gone, because swimming is somehow different must have only started a year or two ago, when the tech suit explosion started.
And those who quit because the suits became commonplace should stay away, because everyone knows that the suits made some positive difference, and quitting because you don't like the new rules (or acceptable new gear) is just childish.
At the risk of repeating myself, racing is racing. Whether we race in drag suits, jammers or tech suits, it's ultimately yourself against the clock, and against your (age-group) competitors. The times may be slower, but that may be as much a factor of aging as the slower suits.
I loved the suits, and I think they'll be back when FINA realize the implications of their decision. Maybe it will take until Bowman and Phelps are gone, but they'll be back.
Until then, racing is racing. I can get a beat-down from several swimmers regardless of attire. I look forward to avenging those in any legal suit.
So when someone says they will quit because they can no longer aid their swimming artificially, a small very ugly part of me says "good riddance." (The better part of me says nothing of the sort, of course.)
Sure, people who wear tech suits (mostly) train hard. But there is no denying it is an artificial aid to speed, no different conceptually from fins or wetsuits (which are the "ultimate" tech suit, of course, but have been around for quite some time).
Those who would quit now that the suits are gone, because swimming is somehow different must have only started a year or two ago, when the tech suit explosion started.
And those who quit because the suits became commonplace should stay away, because everyone knows that the suits made some positive difference, and quitting because you don't like the new rules (or acceptable new gear) is just childish.
At the risk of repeating myself, racing is racing. Whether we race in drag suits, jammers or tech suits, it's ultimately yourself against the clock, and against your (age-group) competitors. The times may be slower, but that may be as much a factor of aging as the slower suits.
I loved the suits, and I think they'll be back when FINA realize the implications of their decision. Maybe it will take until Bowman and Phelps are gone, but they'll be back.
Until then, racing is racing. I can get a beat-down from several swimmers regardless of attire. I look forward to avenging those in any legal suit.
