Just as it was back in 2008 at the start of swimming's ill-fated experiment with shiny suits, Australia is the first nation to test itself under new race conditions set for the season ahead. Trials for the Commonwealth Games get underway in Sydney tomorrow and the ban on non-textile and bodysuit boosters is much in focus in the media Down Under. Back to real swimming and credibility: the theme picked up by the Australian media.
Here are two excellent summaries of events, dated March 16 Down Under:
- Suit Yourself from Michael Cowley at the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, and
- Operation Restore Credibility from Nicole Jeffery at The Australian.
One headline doing the rounds in several places is this one: "All to be revealed at Aust titles; Lack of high-tech suits will put athletes back in the spotlight".
An article in the Canberra Times sums up the silly season gone by thus: "As each world record tumbled, a piece of swimming's credibility went with it. The era of the high-tech suits, pioneered by Speedo's Fastskin LZR Racer launched prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, will be forever remembered as swimming's darkest hour." [A few doping scandals down the years, State Plan 14:25 has the bigger claim to tainted gold on that score]. And on records "... 43 of those coming at last year's world championships in Rome. Those titles were dubbed the Plastic Games, as relative unknown utilised the buoyancy effect of the suit to its full potential."
On the eve of race day, Jeffery at The Australian focussed on the new order of 2010, noting that triple Olympic gold medal winner Stephanie Rice faces some hungry teeanagers. In the hunt are Emily Seebohm, 17, and Blair Evans, 18. The big test starts from day one, when Rive faces a difficult double of 200m freestyle and 200m medley.
Reporter Tom Wald at AAP has some fine descriptions of the post-rubber era from 'fly ace Andrew Lauterstein. The Olympic bronze medallist says: "I just need to get over it now. I've been racing in it (shorts) since November and this is what I have to deal with and no excuses any more. The first time I wore the shorts in Canberra I felt naked.
"Now it's about embracing that feeling of being free. It was a barrier to breakdown. But now I've overcome that and once you're standing there you're more confident. The first time I wasn't wearing a suit I felt flubby and terrible and now I feel alright."
As Wald puts it: The thought of the powerful Lauterstein feeling self conscious about his physique gives the rest of the population something to be really worried about.
Lauterstein has taken something positive from the shiny suits era: in Rome he allowed the circus to take his mind off the job. "Now I've done practice about coming within myself and focusing on my own lane. I think the suits have been good for me about overcoming everything around me."
ONES TO WATCH
Sydney Olympic Park, March 16-21
Women
Leisel Jones - now is the season of textile, just as it was when I set some stunning world records. What will; business as usual bring?
Stephanie Rice: relishing the textile challenge, the triple Olympic champ faces the next generation of Aussie front-liners
Jessica Schipper - With Libby Trickett on dry land, can the world 200m champ do the 'fly double? Felicity Galvez will be among those out to stop her
Emily Seebohm - 17, on her shiny suit times in textile and ready to roll
Cate Campbell - Britta Steffen no longer faces Trickett but the Olympic bronze medallist over 50m has gains yet to make
Men
Eamon Sullivan - the trials will serve as a test of how the sprinter's recovery from hip surgery is going should Sullivan take to his blocks as planned
Brenton Rickard - the 100m breaststroke world record holder and out to prove himself anew in textile
Andrew Lauterstein - the 'fly ace faces a self-imposed test of mental strength after the shiny circus proved a distraction
Nick D'Arcy - the 200 'fly ace takes his first leap back to the Dolphins after the row, the punch, the conviction and rehab. Once on the team for Delhi, he will then need to convince US authorities to give him a visa for the Pan Pacs.
Geoff Huegill - 45 kilos lighter than his top retirement weight, the Sydney 2000 Olympic medallist is aiming to swim like a Dolphin once more
KEEP YOUR EYE OUT FOR
Yolane Kukla - 14 and on the cusp of being a world-class sprinter in senior waters
Bonnie MacDonald and Katie Goldman - can these two youngsters from coach Denis Cotterell's programme give Australia hope in distance swimming among women?
The Commonwealth Games are scheduled to take place in Delhi in October.
