"Speedo" and the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs did a lot of "over-promising" this week

"Under-promise but over-deliver," that is what Creative Director, Susi Watson, taught me when I worked for the Disney Internet Group.

This week a lot of promises were made in regards to swimming: We had Speedo's claim yesterday that their new speed suit is 10% more fluid dynamic than the original Fastskin and as a result provides the swimmer with 4% more oxygen stores.

Now, quoted in the Washington Post, trainers at the USOC are insinuating that they have a way of cataloging or quantifying successful tweaks in one's training. They are vague and "snarky" about what it is but this is how it is described:

"... They undertook a joint study at the training center last fall. They devised what Vint described as a "measurement thing," and Olympic megastar Michael Phelps assisted with the testing. The new "thing" helped Phelps and other swimmers, according to Vint, who hopes it will make a difference for the United States in Beijing. Prior to the USOC's change in structure, Vint said, such a partnership would never have emerged. ..."

They say they won't reveal it till September: [Link]

The proof will be in the water and as a matter of fact, Michael Phelps, Dara Torres, and other Speedo mercenaries will be swimming at the 2008 Toyota Grand Prix of Swimming this weekend at the University of Missouri.

We are only six months out from the Olympic games and these athletes have been promised by Speedo to have 4% added oxygen stores by wearing suits that are 5% more fluid dynamic than the suits they wore at the 2007 FINA World Championships. If that is the case, they all should be swimming remarkably faster than they did last year when they step onto the blocks.

As for the USOC who asserted in the Washington Post article that Michael Phelps and other USA swimmers were helped by this. "measurement thing," again, same thing, we should definitely expect faster swimming, but on the other hand, what if we don't?

The photo above is posted with permission from Business Wire and it is captioned: Michael Phelps (USA) models the new Speedo LZR RACER, the world's fastest swimsuit. The new suit will be worn by athletes in Beijing. (Photo: Business Wire)