Eric Shanteau proved himself one of the world's top breaststrokers this year. Will he be back as strong next season? (Christinne Muschi, Reuters)
Will German sensation Paul Biedermann be a superstar next year, after the new suit rules have kicked in? What about Americans Ariana Kukors, Tyler Clary, David Walters and Eric Shanteau? Were their breakthrough seasons coincidental to the suit revolution, or spurred by it?
Some say the world’s best swimmers this season would have thrived in technical suits or tiny ones; others say the suits helped some more than others, and the new rules will bring a different cast of characters to the forefront next season.
What do you think? We’d like to start a conversation with you, our loyal readers — or even those of you just dropping in. Speak up. Speak out. Be heard. Get the final word. Just answer this question (via the comment box below):
Does the suit make the swimmer?
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There is a continuing vocal minority that claims that the suits don’t provide any floatation. And granted there have not been scientific test under an agreed protocol to test that. I’m not sure how it could be done anyway. I’ll go on two other data points: My own eyes, and the statements by numerous world class swimmers that they felt the suits put them higher in the water. The suits clearly made a difference, and they also clearly impacted different swimmers different ways. It may be as late as London when we sort out who benefitted from the suits the most, and thus who can’t compete without them. And make no mistake, there will be many swimmers who thrived with the suits, and who will still win without them, many, but not all.
Let the data decide (and I am sure plenty of folks will be running spread sheets on ranked swimmers’ times pre-tech suit, tech suit and post tech suit). Leaving out the factor of growth in the younger swimmers the times will prove out the advantage that the suits provided. It is plain and simple. As someone involved in college recruiting, we definitely looked at recruits times the year immediately before the suits arrived. If we saw dramatic drops that were outside the norm we looked at that swimmer with a jaundiced eye because we lacked confidence in how they would swim without the flotation and compression advantage. Too many new names popped up on the scene last year for us not to do our homework.
It doesn’t make the swimmer – it makes the WORLD RECORD!