BERLIN - The race to develop high-tech bodysuits is threatening to turn swimming into a technological battleground reminiscent of Formula One, Germany's Britta Steffen said on Tuesday.
Japanese swimmers wearing Speedo's new LZR suit (L-R) Yoshihiro Okumura, Takeshi Matsuda, Reiko Nakamura, Haruka Ueda, and Kosuke Kitajima are seen in this combo photo at the Japan Open 2008 in Tokyo June 6, 2008. [Agencies] |
In an interview with Reuters, Steffen said she was confident a new Adidas bodysuit being developed ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August will be as good as the Speedo LZR suit worn when more than 35 world records were broken this year.
"I'd like to see everyone swimming in a normal bathing suit," said Steffen, who set a European 100 metres freestyle record of 53.20 seconds at the German championships in April.
"That way we could see who's the best swimmer and not who has found the best material. I'd have no problem finishing second or third and knowing 'Okay, you just weren't better than the others'.
"It seems a bit like Formula One. Who's got the best car? Who's got the best swim suit? And who can best come to terms with that?"
Steffen said she and her German teammates who swim in Adidas suits no longer feared being at a disadvantage to Speedo-clad rivals, as they had three months ago.
Adidas has developed a suit that she said delivered encouraging results at a recent meet.
"We were able to try out the prototypes," she said. "The suits usually lose their effectiveness after they're used just five or six times. But some people who tried them out even after 10 others had used them said they felt great."
Steffen held the 100 metres world record (53.30) from August 2, 2006, to March 27, 2008 before Australia's Libby Trickett, in a Speedo suit, lowered it to 52.88.
Steffen, 24, said that even some swimmers who wear Speedos and had tried the new Adidas prototypes were impressed.
"They confirmed it's competitive if not even better than the Speedo. That's given the atmosphere on the team a great lift and everyone's been able to concentrate on their training again."
Steffen, who won four gold medals at the 2004 European championships, said she was surprised by the rapid response from German-based Adidas.
"I didn't think Adidas would be able to react so quickly because the development of the new (Speedo) suit took three years.
"I thought 'How are they going to pull it off in three months and come up with something just as good?' But they did."
