Record-Smashers: Swimmer Or Swimsuit?

(CBS)  If the person next to you doesn't know the name Michael Phelps by now, they might just be from another planet.

With three gold medals already in hand, Phelps' dream remains, as yet, unrealized - winning eight golds in one Olympics. That would beat the record seven gold medals won by Mark Spitz in 1972 that no one thought would ever fall. Not bad for a kid who took up swimming to escape being teased about his big ears.

But some say this year's swimming competition is rigged for record-smashing with what one critic called technological doping, reports CBS News correspondent Barry Petersen.

Start with the new Speedo full body suits:

"It literally feels like a rocket coming off the wall," said Phelps in a team interview. "The water just runs off the suit."

More than 50 records have been busted at pre-Olympic meets around the world since they were introduced in February. The suits aren't sewn. They're welded ultrasonically, creating a seamless surface that mimics shark skin. Some even claim it increases buoyancy.

Speedo offered the $600 dollar suits to all Olympic swimmers to level the playing field.

Then there's the pool.

In past Olympics, they were about six feet deep. The Chinese built their pools nine feet deep - more depth cuts down water resistance on the surface.

They also added extra lanes on the outside of the eight normally used for competition. And they put gutters on the edge, which eases wave action and helps swimmers go faster.

Pool designers are not surprised.

"The water is a lot smoother," said Kevin McGrath, CEO of Myrtha Pools. "There's no turbulence and it just lets all the swimmers giddy up and go."

It's no wonder that eight Olympic records have been wiped out so far.

"There are so many world records that are being broken today that there should be a world record for world records broken," said Gary Hall, a former U.S. Olympic swimmer.

And if Phelps pulls it off, he may soon be able to say "Show me the money." Winning eight medals would earns him a cool million dollar bonus from his sponsor, which means he's on the verge of everyone's ultimate dream - fame and fortune.

[whiskyrokkr]

Phelps is a superior athlete to the other swimmers. Good to see the USA swim team doing so well. Our trainers must be first class also.

[toolmangler-2009]

Looks to me like ''much ado about nothing''. If everybody has the same suit and swim in the same pool, where is the advantage?????

[wl7bzh]

" If the person next to you doesn''t know the name Michael Phelps by now, they might just be from another planet."
----------------------------------------


Someone actually got paid to write this 8th grade cliche?

CBS fire your writers.

[knew45]

the pool is not so unique. The 20+ year old pool at the University of Texas is 9 feet deep and has gutters. And I''m sure most of these swimmers have swam in this pool and others like it. So the only new thing is the suits and as long as everyone else has them, then the playing field is level. And doesn''t everyone look for progress and ways to break old records? With runners it''s in the shoes. Pole vaulters - the pole, etc, etc.

[waynester9]

I guess these advantages only mean something when compared with old records. But as far as current competition, everyone is on a level playing field. So for the most part, it''s a non-issue. Phelps would still have won his races if the new suits were not allowed, or if the pools were designed differently.