World Records Tumble at Swimming Championships
The 13th FINA World Championships in Rome Have Caused Controversy
Aug 3, 2009
Over 43 new World Records were set in 8 days during the swimming World Championships in Rome but it is widely acknowledged that the records were being broken due to swimsuit technology rather than swimming techniques. All swimsuits were allowed for the 2009 World Championships by FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation) which is the international governing body of swimming, diving, water polo, synchronized swimming and open water swimming.
The decision caused much debate and outcry among swimmers, including past record holders, and FINA have decreed that the latest high-technology, full-body swimsuits will be banned from 1 January 2010. However the records set during 2009 using the super-fast suits made of buoyant polyurethane will stand, which means it may be a long time before new world records are set in swimming.
13th FINA World Championships in Rome
The 13th FINA World Championships ran from 17 July to 2 August 2009 in Rome. They combined the five water-based disciplines of synchronized swimming and open water swimming. The swimming events lasted for eight days in the Foro Italico which consists of four permanent and two temporary pools, and the rules of the competition allowed the latest suits to be worn.
Swim Suit Technology and Polyurethane Suits
Debates about swimming costumes in competitions have been around since 1992 when the world’s first “fast suit” was launched by Speedo. Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe wore a full body suit for his record wins at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. However the debate has intensified since 2008 when the NASA designed Speedo LZR costume was introduced.
The costume is made partly from polyurethane which is said to trap pockets of air and aid buoyancy. The effect was felt immediately in the swimming world, with 108 World Records falling in 2008. During 2009 Adidas, Arena and Jaked also introduced suits covered in polyurethane, seeing more records fall. It is claimed the suits give a bigger advantage than the best performance-enhancing drugs.
Swimming World Records Set in Rome.
World Records were set on each of the eight days of the competition as follows:
Day 1, 26 July 2009, 6 new World Records
Day 2, 27 July 2009, 5 new World Records
Day 3, 28 July 2009, 4 new World Records
Day 4, 29 July 2009, 7 new World Records
Day 5, 30 July 2009, 7 new World Records
Day 6, 31 July 2009, 6 new World Records
Day 7, 1 August 2009, 4 new World Records
Day 8, 2 August 2009, 4 new World Records
The Swim Suits That Won Medals and World Records
Not all swimmers wore the new suits, as some remained faithful to their sponsors and others could not afford them. However, the results show that the vast majority of winners were those with the new suits.
- Arena X-glide: 14 gold, 12 silver, 10 bronze
- Jaked 01: 9 gold, 12 silver, 16 bronze
- Speedo LZR: 6 gold, 2 silver, 7 bronze
- Adidas Hydrofoil: 4 gold, 6 silver, 1 bronze
- Descente Aquaforce: 1 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze
The number of solo World Records (some relay teams had a mix of old and new suits) also shows the bias.
- Arena X-glide: 13 solo World Records
- Jaked 01: 13 solo World Records
- Adidas Hydrofoil: 7 solo World Records
- Speedo LZR: 5 solo World Records
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