Standing My Ground on Tech Suits
Jun
24Standing My Ground on Tech Suits
Posted by Kevin Doak on Wednesday at: 5:07pm (June 24th, 2009)
The lastest ruling by FINA (The international governing body of swimming) has readopted the recently illegal suits as legal. All 198 banned suits have been added to the approved list of 202 suits (basically all suits legal before 2008). USA Swimming released a statement that it was disapointed with the FINA ruling and will push for stricter regulations on competition suits.
Here are a few good articles:
Commentary on how Tech suits have impacted summer league swimming
USA Swimming Press Release Regarding FINA Ruling
The whole deal seems increasingly ridiculous to me. I've worn a Speedo LZR in competition. There is no doubt that I swim faster in a tech suit than without one. However, I refuse to get involved with this drama by wearing one. I value swimming for it's purity, just me and the water. I feel as though when a swimmer achieves a great time, the first question is now always... "Well what suit was he/she wearing?". It's a rat race that I don't care to be a part of. I don't mind what anybody else does or wears at a meet, but you won't catch me in a Tech suit anytime soon. I've even rolled back past my college years type suit which was a "jammer" style suit which reached down to my knees. I'll go with the traditional "brief" type suit from now on. I don't care if it looks old fashoned or stupid. If I achieve a lifetime best time, I'll know it was ME who achieved it, there won't be a tech suit to credit my speed to. I'll know in my heart that I can be proud I didn't rely on a suit to make me better.
I will swim both the World Champ Trials and Long Course Nationals in a Speedo Brief suit. I will get laughed at and people will think it's a poor choice but I will be proud of my performances whether they're slow or fast. I will represent the integrity I stand for.
Here are a few good articles:
Commentary on how Tech suits have impacted summer league swimming
USA Swimming Press Release Regarding FINA Ruling
The whole deal seems increasingly ridiculous to me. I've worn a Speedo LZR in competition. There is no doubt that I swim faster in a tech suit than without one. However, I refuse to get involved with this drama by wearing one. I value swimming for it's purity, just me and the water. I feel as though when a swimmer achieves a great time, the first question is now always... "Well what suit was he/she wearing?". It's a rat race that I don't care to be a part of. I don't mind what anybody else does or wears at a meet, but you won't catch me in a Tech suit anytime soon. I've even rolled back past my college years type suit which was a "jammer" style suit which reached down to my knees. I'll go with the traditional "brief" type suit from now on. I don't care if it looks old fashoned or stupid. If I achieve a lifetime best time, I'll know it was ME who achieved it, there won't be a tech suit to credit my speed to. I'll know in my heart that I can be proud I didn't rely on a suit to make me better.
I will swim both the World Champ Trials and Long Course Nationals in a Speedo Brief suit. I will get laughed at and people will think it's a poor choice but I will be proud of my performances whether they're slow or fast. I will represent the integrity I stand for.