It looks like the theory that the suits helped some people more than others is being proven here.
400 free
2 3 BIEDERMANN Paul GER 0.86 3:46.30 0.13
4x100 free
BERNARD Alain 0.29 22.78 48.70 (2) 3:13.29
That's over a 2 second difference from his mid 46 split from the past couple of years. And it's not like he cruised to the finish, he was going all out because he dove in even with Russia and ended up getting second. I bet Biedermann and Bernard wish that the rubber suits were still around.
However, some swimmers are still putting up incredible times.
100 back semi
LACOURT Camille FRA 0.71 25.73 52.58
100 *** semi
DALE OEN Alexander NOR 0.69 27.66 59.29
Perhaps world records will start falling faster than we expected.
It looks like the theory that the suits helped some people more than others is being proven here.
Two swimmers going slower doesn't exactly prove anything.
It looks like the theory that the suits helped some people more than others is being proven here.
However, some swimmers are still putting up incredible times.
100 back semi
LACOURT Camille FRA 0.71 25.73 52.58
100 *** semi
DALE OEN Alexander NOR 0.69 27.66 59.29
Perhaps world records will start falling faster than we expected.
I don't think Dale Oen ever wore a full body suit in competition.
100 *** semi
DALE OEN Alexander NOR 0.69 27.66 59.29
Oen swam 59.20 in the final at Beijing, not much of a slow down. He was wearing leggings.
This article shows him in an Arena full body suit but apparently he decided not to wear it.
www.aftenposten.no/.../article2535519.ece
However, some swimmers are still putting up incredible times.
100 back semi
LACOURT Camille FRA 0.71 25.73 52.58
Backstrokers never seemed to have really gone for the full suit either. (Piersol went his record in just leggings.)
That time is incredibly fast though.
Freestyle and fly is where the full bodied tech suit seems to have made the biggest breakthroughs.
Backstrokers never seemed to have really gone for the full suit either. (Piersol went his record in just leggings.)
That time is incredibly fast though.
Freestyle and fly is where the full bodied tech suit seems to have made the biggest breakthroughs.
LaCourt went 52.11 in the finals! Very close to Peirsol's record of 51.94.
Dale Oen went 59.20 in the 100 *** final.
52.11
Mark Spitz' best 100 free time was 51.2.
It's incredible that we now see backstrokers who are nearly as fast.
30 meters of dolphin kicking probably helps.
