FINA material guidlines are out! - It actually is biased towards woman!

FINA guidelines have been release and per the guidelines I selected to comment upon, female swimmers will essentially sacrifice less speed-wise than the men and suffer no loss in modesty. The boys however will wear briefs and jammers.

Picture if you will the female version of the TYR Sayonara Shortjohn Swimskin above with no zipper and a textile fabric and there you have it: A de facto shortjohn speedsuit for woman.

Surface covered: Men swimsuit shall not extend above the navel nor below the knee and for women shall not cover the neck or extend past the shoulders nor shall extend below the knee.

Variety of materials: Different materials may be used in one swimsuit provided they are textile fabrics as defined above and they comply with all other criteria including notably thickness and permeability (measures to apply to total layers). Combination of materials shall further not create outstanding shape(s) or structure(s). Layered materials must be completely attached/bound/stuck together except where required to protect sensitive parts ("privacy layers").

[...]

Construction: No zippers or other fastening system is allowed. Seams shall be limited to functional systems and shall not create outside shapes.

[Link]

For womens' suits I foresee swimsuit companies choosing a fabric for the core area that is more constrictive than the breast& shoulder area and then choosing another fabric all together for the back area to aid in buoyancy and compression.

Then picture a small entry opening which the female slides into thus giving them an ad hoc shortjohn without a zipper. Voilà - Woman get to wear a speedsuit!

Boys, on the other hand will lose more speed than the woman and there will be no modesty avenues to explore whatsoever. It's briefs and Jammers; just the way Schubert, Bowman and Speedo probably wanted it.

If someone tells the truth, are they mouthing off? - Milorad Cavic gives his honest assesment of Michael Phelps and Speedo!

These are Cavic's quotes leading up to the 100-fly showdown between he and Phelps tomorow and his opinions are quite compelling!

Also, the article is filled with who and what Mark Schubert is to Speedo and what he tried to do before these Championships.

So, is Cavic mouthing off or is every word he is saying true? From AP:

“If Mike wants an Arena, he just has to say it,” Cavic said. “If he wants a Jaked and they don’t want to give it to him free, I’ll buy it for him. He has options. I think in the media it’s been portrayed that he has no option, he has to swim for (Speedo). It’s a complete lie.”

“I know he’s making a lot of money from Speedo,” Cavic said. “It’s loyalty. But throughout all my experiences, I’ve learned this—free will is a gift with a price tag, and whatever you choose to do you’re going to pay, but how much you’re going to pay is really dependent on you.”

“I think there’s three options for Michael,” Cavic said. “The first option is to use the suit that he’s wearing, the second option is to get one of these (polyurethane) suits, which I guarantee Arena will provide him within the hour, as soon as he wants. The third option would actually be a dream of mine, to have the whole final everybody swimming in briefs. I swear to God, this is it, this is what I want, but this is the most unrealistic of all scenarios.”

“Last year at the height of the suit controversy, Mark Schubert said, ‘Do you want the money or do you want the win?”’ Cavic said. “Michael Phelps has plenty of money. Who knows what it is? I think it’s just loyalty and he’s very gracious for everything Speedo has done for him.”

[Link]

I am rooting for Cavic and his suit comapny!

All my swimmer friends are smarter than me! - Of course that's not much of a challenge!

John Q. and I chatting on Yahoo about the recent FINA ruling and how it applies to the USMS and I like his take!

We are FINA and we welcome you to "Absurdistan!" - briefs and jammers for men only on January 1, 2010!

[UPDATED] to include Speedo slam!

The press conference ended 10-minutes ago and FINA made a declaration that is is back to jammers and briefs for men; women get the advantage of short johns with no compression.

From AP:

ROME — Swimming's governing body has set a firm date of Jan. 1 for banning record-breaking bodysuits, which should remove the threat of a Michael Phelps boycott.

Earlier this week, FINA announced the ban but said it might not take effect until April or May — three or four months later than expected.

FINA moved up that timetable Friday after Phelps' coach, Bob Bowman, threatened to pull his swimmer from international competition until the suits are banned.

[Link]

FINA stated they spoke with swimsuit manufacturers and they are on board, when asked who they were, FINA refused to name names. I called blueseventy and they categorically stated that they were not warned nor spoken to. I am calling TYR to see if they were alerted.

It's is just amazing how much power Speedo has. They could not win in the pool so through their paid surrogates, Michael Phelps and Bob Bowman, who threw a school yard tantrum thereby degrading Paul Biedermann's win, have now potentially crushed all rival swimsuit companies. TYR, Arena, Adidas, Jaked have now lost millions of dollars cumulatively in R&D and tooling.

What a coincidence that Speedo simply did not bring an updated speedsuit to market for the 2009 FINA World Championships and subsequently allowed their athletes to swim in what they wanted.

"The fix was in" as Tony Soprano would say. Speedo knew that speedsuits were done several months before this day!

FINA to make statement today at 5:00 PM - which is in 15-minutes Pacific time

The rumor is that suits are banned NOW instead of January.

I am amazed at how powerful Speedo is. Bowman makes a threat, he effects all of swimming.

ROME — Swimming's governing body has set a firm date of Jan. 1 for banning record-breaking bodysuits, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Friday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement by FINA had not been made.

The move comes after a threat from Michael Phelps' coach to pull his swimmer from competition until the suits are banned.

Rumor from CBC: [Link]

Rowdy Gaines interviewed - Not one media outlet asked him about Phelps!

Rowdy Gaines spoke with the Today Show three times, USA Today and they were not interested in hearing about Michael Phelps. They wanted to now about these really cool suits were wear.

Also, before I get any more anonymous comments calling me: "WITCH, WITCH, WITCH, Burn him!" These 2009 Fina World Championships have been all about the suit because both the athletes and FINA have made it about the suit.

Here is a direct link to the video for a higher resolution version: [Link]

'Jaked USA' store just went live

The price in American dollars is slightly less than the Euro price. It would be ironic if Europeans purchased their Jaked suits from the American store. [Link]

Maly from Fance is so good to us: Camera view solely on Alain Bernard's 100 free!

You can subscribe to her YouTube channel and see all sorts of swim related videos with some American pop-culture stuff as well.

[Link]

Hail Cesar! - "Veni, Vidi, Vici, the 100 free!"

Veni, Vidi, Vici - "I came I saw, I conquered!"

Julius Ceasar uttered those words to the Roman Senate after a glorious Roman battle had been won but what a battle the French put up trying to claim the victory against Cesar Cielo in the 100-meter free!

Brazil's Cesar Cielo claims the world record in the 100-free wearing an approved speedsuit.

Eamon Sullivan's former WR, the one that Alain Bernard broke in an unapproved speedsuit, was surpassed as well.

From Swimming World:

Cielo scorched the pool with a 46.91 to break the official world record of 47.05 set by Eamon Sullivan at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Cielo also bettered the 46.94 set by Alain Bernard in an unapproved suit back in April.

Bernard checked in with a silver-winning time of 47.12, while teammate Fred Bousquet took bronze in 47.25.

[Link]

As you know, I am currently quite cross with those commonwealth swimmers and USA coaches who, with their condescending rhetoric regarding speedsuits, have degraded the swim talent of those swimmers wearing what they perceived to be better suits.

Hence it is my belief that their sponsor, Speedo, "gamed" FINA to change the rules in 2010 in their particular favor. Consequently, I am loving this victory!

AP had this to say:

Bernard came in as the favorite, having become the first man to break 47 seconds with his time of 46.94 in Montpellier in April.

But that time was never ratified as a world record because he swam in an unapproved suit.

Cielo left no doubt, however, who was fastest as he was three-hundredths of a second under Bernard's best.

[Link]

Since this will be the "last supper" for speedsuits, I think the brand names that contributed to these victories are part of the story. :-P

Cielo was wearing Arena!

Is Federica Pellegrini the greatest Italian athlete ever? - I think so!

The only other athlete I know who exuded this much confidence and then went on to deliver is Muhammad Ali. From Universal Sports who licensed it from Reuters:

ROME (Reuters) -- Federica Pellegrini said she was the greatest Italian athlete ever after winning the 200-meter freestyle at the world swimming championships on Tuesday in a world-record time, her 10th overall.

Pellegrini, 20, clocked in at 1 minute, 52.98 seconds in winning the 200, breaking her own world record. She also was the first woman to break four minutes in the 400 when she won in 3:59.15 on Sunday.

[...] When asked if she was the greatest Italian athlete. ..."

"With today's world record, I've had 10 world records before I'm 21. I've won an Olympic gold medal, two world championship gold medals here. So, I think so," she told a news conference.

[Link]

Her dialog reminds me of an exchange between Lucky Liu and Uma Thurma in the movie Kill Bill. This dialog exchange is at 1:29.00 into the timeline for this Kill Bill Trailer: [Link]

And then this after qualifying for the 4x200 relay. From ANSA.it:

(ANSA) - Rome, July 30 - Italian double world gold medallist Federica Pellegrini is fired up for Thursday night's 4x200m freestyle relay but says her teammates must do a lot more after they scraped into the final.

''I did my bit to get us into the final,'' said Pellegrini, who anchored the relay heat in one minute 54.95 seconds as Italy came home in the eighth-fastest time.

''Of course I'm happy to be in the final but we're not going to get anywhere like this,'' Pellegrini fumed.

''I understand they may have tightened up...but we've been training like hell all year and we can't make such a sorry show''.

[Link]

Welcome to 2009 - Technology in sports versus technology in swimming!

[UPDATED] Per Ted's suggestion regarding my choice of bicycles

Pictured above: Introducing the Nike LunarGlide+ :

LunarLite Foam
Nike first introduced LunarLite foam in the summer of 2008 in Beijing as the mid-sole cushioning system of the Nike LunaRacer and Nike Lunar Trainer running shoes and in the Nike Hyperdunk basketball shoe. Traditional cushioning systems only absorb energy upon impact while LunarLite foam has proven to provide superior cushioning and significant energy return.

When compared to swimming, that last sentence is the moral equal of alleged buoyancy in swimming. Energy return from a shoe makes your run easier plain and simple.

A "purist" from two centuries ago could argue that running barefoot is better for track & field since high-tech shoes make it easier for the "lesser athletes" to win.

Track & Field still adopted technology from rubber shoes to rubber tracks to draw interest to the sport and look how it grew.

Why should swimming be any different?

Here are some examples of other individual sports. Below are two bicycles, one competed in the tour de France in 1939, the other is a prototype:



Above and to the left is a bicycle ridden in the 1939 Tour de France called the Super Champion, a technological achievement due to the fact it had a derailleur so as to allow the rider to ride through the hills more effectively by choosing his gearing.

The 2009 NUIIA, designed by Bradford Wangh, is all about efficiency and reduced weight. The Super Champion on the left probably weighed as much as 35-pounds versus the potential 9-pound NUIIA on the right.

This efficiency again makes the NUIIA The bicycle to the right is Lance Armstrong's time trial bike. It is made of composite materials, aerodynamic angles and "down-bars" for better body position. It is my belief that Lance's bike is the moral equal to alleged buoyancy in swimming due to it's reduced weight and more efficient drive train.The art of peddling becomes easier.

Cycling moved into the future and the Tour de France is an epic battle between men and not machines. Yes, there are discussions regarding equipment but it is Eddy Merckx, Lance Armstrong, and Miguel Indurain who are discussed not their equipment.

The FS range of rackets uses 7000 series aluminium, a graphite reinforced throat. They are 'honker' big when compared to the vintage model.

Can you say Serena Williams? Do you know what equipment she uses? I don't and I am not asking what racket she uses when she plays, are you?

With her strength, coordination and a racket in her hand like that, she is both beauty and the beast and her games rock!

The lighter frame and enlarged area allows Serena to drill that ball with all her strength, Hence, a player of today is not a stylist but rather an athlete.

The weight reduction and larger contact area is once again the moral equal to alleged buoyancy in swimming.


Above is the TYR Titan made with the same style of fabric that the blueseventy and RocketScience suits are made from. It was banned under very mysterious circumstances. I have to leave it at that.

So unlike running, cycling, and swimming. Swimming under FINA is destined to embrace an "Amish existence" in regards to growth, technology and fun!

That must change!

'blueseventy' CEO Steve Nicholls and Rowdy Gaines are upset with FINA and state the obvious!

After reading my post regarding the FINA materials specification for 2010, my friend and attorney, John Quinn, said it best: "Textiles have been around for a 1000-years and FINA can't even come up with a definition of what they are, Pathetic."

Steve Nicholls and Rowdy Gaines are just as mystified!

blueseventy committed to swimming

blueseventy has confirmed it is fully committed to a long term involvement to swimming, following the FINA announcement yesterday, Tuesday 28th July, that swimmers must return to more traditional suits from next year.

However, the date of the change over is yet to be defined, and manufactures remain in the dark about the exact definition of textile suits. Permeability will be a key issue as swimmers return to shorts (above the knee and up to the navel) for men and suits from the knee to the neck for women, with no zips.

Ceo, Steve Nicholls said: “We’ve been amazed at the way in which we've been supported by swimmers and the swimming fraternity, and are committed to returning that support through a long term swimming program. While we accept there is a need for change, we still have major concerns over the nature of the changes, in particular, we don’t understand why there is no parity between male and female swimmers, in terms of coverage, and we’re frustrated that definitive guidelines on fabrics will not be available until the end of September.”

“The commercial implications of this decision should not be overlooked. Our technical direction and design plans hinge on the types of fabrics that will be permitted. We know suits can only be 0.8mm thick, but we'd prefer to have more details in order to design the best possible suit that swimmers will want to wear. However, the limited time period for development will suit a brand like us that is able to move quickly."

Three-time Olympic Champion Rowdy Gaines is concerned that yesterday’s announcement will be detrimental to the sport. “I think the bodysuit is great for the sport. It gets the average person to talk about our sport and it gets people involved who maybe would not have done so. People love to see fast swimming.”

He added: “Many other sports are greatly influenced by technology, everything from motor racing to golf and tennis. I fear that young age group swimmers will be lost to the sport because they can’t achieve the times they have done previously in a bodysuit. I also worry that casual fans will fade away when there’s no longer a frenzy of world records.”

As well as having a loyal following amongst pool swimmers, blueseventy was the first brand to design a suit specifically for open water racing. The Nero 10k suit was worn by Olympic Champion, Maarten vd Weijden in Beijing last year and by medal winners in World Championships events last week. All versions of the blueseventy swimskin were approved even before the Speedo LZR racer and have been in wide circulation ever since.

Steve Nicholls added: “There’s an argument that open water suits should fall under separate guidelines. Open water swimming is the sports newest Olympic discipline and swimmers and coaches need to have a voice in shaping its development, including the type of swimwear that is to be allowed. It is also undertaken in a variety of different conditions, and just from a safety perspective one could argue that different applications of these rules could apply.”

Mary DeScenza sets a WR in the 200-meter Fly! - Do you think she's stoked?

I swam a 200-meter 'fly last weekend at a meet and it was harder than running a 10k at a race pace.

The stroke is not the hardest part, it's those 'thingys' called oxygen-deprivation and searing pain that sort of get in the way.

I actually did pretty good, the paramedics were able to resuscitate me right there on the deck!

Mary DeScenza wearing a Jaked with a faded out logo sets a WR in the 200 'fly.

From Universal Sports:

Her time Wednesday in the 200 fly — about three seconds faster than she had ever gone before, 2:07.13, and that was just earlier this month.

Descenza remains one of the great college swimmers of all time. She graduated three years ago from the University of Georgia as one of only two women in history to win the 200 fly all four years at the NCAA championships. The other: Mary T. Meagher.

Descenza did not, however, make the Olympic team in either 2004 or 2008; she finished fourth in the 200 fly at the 2004 Trials, fourth again at the 2008 Trials in both the 200 fly and 200 backstroke.

“It’s hard to have that disappointment and obviously not making the Olympic team is one of the big disappointments of my career,” she said.

This season, Descenza won the $20,000 prize — it amounts to best swimmer over a series of meets — at the USA Swimming Grand Prize Series. “I work hard and I try to be a good person,” she said.

[Link]

Wearing a TYR cap and Velocity metalized goggles, Mary DeScenza switched to the polyurethane Jaked in self-defense. TYR had sued to get their polyurethane suit to market but was thwarted by FINA despite that the TYR suit is made of the same materials the Jaked is.

FINA will take as long as two months to define what the definition of a textile is for suit manufacturers!

FINA posted these suit guidelines some time ago and I am only getting to it now:

MATERIAL – The material of the swimsuits will definitively be constituted only by textile fabric(s). The definition of “textile” will be made by a group of scientific experts chosen by FINA and led by Prof. Jan-Anders Manson, from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne (SUI). This definition will be available to manufacturers by no later than September 30, 2009. The first definition of “textile” to be further confirmed by this group is: “Material consisting of, natural and/or synthetic, individual and non consolidated yarns used to constitute a fabric by weaving, knitting, and/or braiding.”

SHAPE – For men, the swimsuit shall not extend above the navel nor below the knee, and for women, shall not cover the neck, extend past the shoulder, nor extend below knee. Furthermore, no zippers or other fastening system is allowed.

TESTS – Only measurable scientific tests will be performed within the frame of the swimwear approval procedure. For thickness, the 1mm limit will be adjusted to 0.8mm, for buoyancy the present value of 1 Newton will be reduced to 0.5 (FINA will even consider the limit of 0 Newton), and for permeability the material(s) used must have at any point a value of more than 80l/m2/second. Permeability values are measured on material with a standard multi directional stretch of 25%. These parameters will be further considered by the above mentioned scientific group.

The above test is conducted by blowing air through the speedsuit material that is stretched; Lycra allows 100s of liters of air to pass through; I am uncertain about other materials.

The suit shape favors the women more than the men. Any mens world records set today will last for at least a generation or more. Janet Evans WR in the 400 stood for 19 years. Laure Manaudou took it out wearing a speedsuit. It would have lasted another 10-years at least if Manaudou had to wear the same garment Evans wore.

I suspect FINA will simply throw out the current world records and pretend they never happened once interest in swimming degrades. I do suspect it will.

I don't mean to be cynical but here is how I arrived at my opinion: Do we really believe that more than 2 or 3 players will survive these change of events?

With fewer suit players selling $30 swimsuits with a profit margin of say $10, will any of these players have the money to pay 7-figure incomes to athletes?

Solutions: I am liking this talk of a pro-league. For instance: Who does the US Olympic Committee go to when they want to select a basketball team? They go to the NBA! I don't think USA Swimming would like that very much and I don't think FINA would like it when the IOC came to an international pro-league and asked them for new and innovative ways to conduct a race.

The suit manufacturers should consider putting up $200,000 each and run a pro event the same day FINA SCM Championships are going off.

Is FINA Sexist? - What if FINA said female swimmers have to wear bikinis and male swimmers can wear short-johns or briefs!

Why do women get the advantage of modesty and compression?

To be honest, I am dropping the "sexist bomb" just to be persnickety and illustrative on how poorly FINA thinks their decisions through.

From Voice of America:

Executive director Cornel Marculescu said Tuesday the FINA Bureau upheld last week's decision by the general congress to put new regulations in place by May of 2010. Male swimmers will be restricted to suits that go from the waist to the top of the knees, while women's suits cannot go past the shoulders or beyond the knees.

[Link]

FINA is the moral equivalent of the Red Queen in the Lewis Carrol book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. From Wikipedia:

Despite the frequency of death sentences, it would appear few people are actually beheaded. The King of Hearts quietly pardons many of his subjects when the Queen is not looking. ... and her soldiers humor her but do not carry out her orders. The Gryphon tells Alice that "It's all her fancy: they never executes nobody, you know." Nevertheless, all creatures in Wonderland fear the Queen. ..."

[Link]

In the illustration above, Alice represents the swimmers who truly run the show and both the Red and White Queen who are asleep and unaware of what is going on.

Ironically, speedsuits won't be abolished till Speedo starts winning in them. Trust me!

Bob Bowman makes a grand threat to FINA and greatly embarasses USA Swimming!

Amanda said...

OMG, this is getting even more dramatic.

Michael Phelps' coach has threatened to withhold the swimmer from international meets until FINA bans high-tech bodysuits.

Told of the possible delay, Phelps' coach, Bob Bowman, said FINA better "do something or they're going to lose their guy who fills these seats."

Phelps: "My coach sets my schedule."

NO, Mr. Phelps, you are the CEO of your career - This nonsense confirmed by AP:

ROME — Michael Phelps' coach has threatened to withhold the swimmer from international meets until FINA bans high-tech bodysuits.

Swimming's governing body, FINA, upheld a decision Tuesday to outlaw the suits next year, although the ban might not take effect until April or May — three or four months later than expected.

Told of the possible delay, Phelps' coach, Bob Bowman, said FINA better "do something or they're going to lose their guy who fills these seats."

Boy, is my face red and I am so embarrassed by Bowman's arrogance.

He actually threatened FINA and the health of USA Swimming's international win-column!

Michael Phelps being so ill advised and now American swimming has a new "Ugly American" and his name is Bob Bowman.

Paging, Katie Hoff, white courtesy telephone please?

Michael Phelps keeps his word - Speedo now needs speedsuits more than ever!

Note to Michael Phelps: I respect you more now than I ever have for you are the greatest pro-swimmer ever. You the greatest not because you lost today, but that you kept your word despite the consequences. Both your moral and ethical integrity were more important than a win and that is commendable. You will own that record once again!

Mr. Paul Biedermann and Ms. Britta Steffen, thank you! You just saved the speedsuit.

From the Baltimore Sun:

Shockingly, it was Olympic swim star Michael Phelps who was left in Biedermann's powerful wake today at the World Championships at the Foro Italico sports complex. Biedermann, of Germany, not only beat Phelps in a convincing manner, but he took away Phelps' world record in the 200-meter freestyle.

Biedermann went 1 minute 42 seconds, and Phelps was second in 1:43.22. Last summer, Phelps won this race in a world-record 1:42.96 at the Olympics in Beijing and Biedermann was sixth in 1:46.

[Link]

Britta Steffen set her world in the 100 free wearing an Adidas Hydrofoil; Paul Biedermann beat our very best, Michael Phelps, wearing an Adidas as well. Dara Torres is now wearing an Adidas and now records are falling further.

Speedo will now be forced to lobby hard to get speedsuits legal again because if speedsuits are indeed outlawed, Speedo may never hold another world record for at least a generation. That's right, 30-years!

How ironic that Speedo will now be the ally of those that want the suits like myself.

Rowdy twitters new FINA compromise

Rowdy Gaines is credible: "..This just in...FINA has ruled that shoulders to knees for men and women will be allowed (vs original ruling of jammers)..textile only."

My take: FINA is so fickle that both the NCAA and the USMS should not do a thing suit wise till 2011 till this organization can gets in ducks in a row.

[Link]

Phelps reaction to Biedermann's 200 LCM record in the 'New York Times' does not match his quote in the 'Washington Post!'

My teammate, John Quinn, sent this article which actually states: "... But he is wearing Speedo’s LZR Racer, which some people say is the swimming equivalent of a jockey racing with extra weight. ..."

Bowman includes his own rants and subtly degrades Paul Biedermann's talent by alluding to his suit as a result of his new found talent. At least that is how I read it.

But what caught my attention was this Phelps quote:

“.. What’d he go?” Phelps asked.

A German reporter relayed Biedermann’s time.

“A 1:43?” Phelps asked.

His jaw tightened. In the 200 freestyle final at the Beijing Olympics last year, Phelps lowered his world record to 1:42.96; Biedermann finished fifth in 1:46.00. “He’s dropped a lot of time,” Phelps said edgily. “He’s having a good meet, a good year. Tomorrow’s going to be a good race. ...”

[Link]

In the Washington Post he was quoted as saying:

[...] "What did he go?" Phelps, officially distracted, asked eagerly. "He go 1:43?"

"He just dropped a lot of time," Phelps volunteered, almost talking to himself. "You usually don't see a six-second drop in the 400 free in a year. In the 200 free, he dropped about three seconds in a year. . . . It will get me more excited, more ready for tomorrow. I'm going to have to, I guess, really prepare myself. ..."

[Link]

Why the disparity? We go from "His jaw tightened" to "Phelps, officially distracted, asked eagerly. "He go 1:43?..."

The NY Times adds resentment, the Washington Post adds competitive spirit. Take your pick as to what Michael Phelps really thought.

2009 FINA World Championships: Germany's Paul Biedermann is "mad fast" in the 200 free during prelims!

I like German swimmer, Paul Biedermann's, catch and turnover. Are the suits encouraging a new technique where it is all about brute strength and technique rather than one's heart and lungs?

Photograph and caption for the image to the right comes from the Washington Post: "...Germany's Paul Biedermann, swimming in a 200-meter freestyle heat, breaks Michael Phelps's mark in the event, finishing in 1 minute 43.65 seconds. ..."

Phelps reaction:

"...Phelps was giving an interview when he heard the meet announcer bellow, "championships record!"

He spun toward a nearby television screen.

[...] "What did he go?" Phelps, officially distracted, asked eagerly. "He go 1:43?"

"He just dropped a lot of time," Phelps volunteered, almost talking to himself. "You usually don't see a six-second drop in the 400 free in a year. In the 200 free, he dropped about three seconds in a year. . . . It will get me more excited, more ready for tomorrow. I'm going to have to, I guess, really prepare myself. ..."

[Link]

Phelps' comment is really refreshing to me. If it were Eamon Sullivan or Rebecca Adlington you might have heard a suit rant!