Two long standing world records fell this weekend and I confirmed that one of the WRs was set while wearing the Speedo Lazr

I got a Swimming World News Alert today regarding Kristy Coventry from Zimbabwe who set a world record in the 200 LCM backstroke at the Missouri Grand Prix in a time of 2:06.39. The previous world record set by Krisztina Egerszegi stood for 17-years but she bested it by 0.23 seconds. I wrote Jason M. at Swimming World asking if she was wearing the new $500 Speedo Lazr at the time and he confirmed that she was.

Eamon Sullivan from Australia set a world record in the 50 LCM free at the New South Wales Swimming Championships in a time of 21.64 besting the previous record by 0.08. I don't know if he was wearing a Speedo Lazr at the time but he is a Speedo sponsored athlete.

Here is a Wiki-link of the 50 LCM world record progression which includes the names, dates, the times and the nationality of those who have held the world record in the 50 LCM: [Link]

The photo above came from a Stuff.Co.NZ article which includes four more photos of Australian swimmers wearing the Speedo Lazr and their positive comments regarding it. [Link]

I am still critical of how the suit looks; (sci-fi, a video-game-like uniform), but producing one world record or possibly two if Eamon Sullivan was wearing the suit is delivering.

Michael Phelps swims without his new 'Speedo Lazr' at the 'Missouri Grand Prix'

Michael Phelps swims a 1:55.26 in the 200 fly at the Missouri Grand Prix sans a Speedo Lazr. I wonder if the other swimmers like Dara Torres, Katie Hoff, Kate Ziegler swam without the Lazr as well. You would think that they would have worn one since Speedo has been showboating it all over creation.

Here is a Baltimore Sun article about the Michael Phelps and the Missouri Grand Prix: [Link]

New Speedo speedsuit makes elite swimmers look like fat and dumpy actors in a bad sci-fi TV show!

This is two hours old delivered to us by the Daily Telegraph. The suit may be fast, faster, or fastest, but look at the above swimmers! Here we have some of the best swimmers evolution has ever produced and this new Speedo makes them look like background extras in a bad sci-fi TV show.

That is Leisel Jones on the right who is both strong and beautiful but look how dumpy it makes her look in the slide show at the Daily Telegraph site: [Link]

UPDATE 1: Phelps looks silly too! Swimming World has an article and several links about the new Speedo: [Link]

UPDATE 2 :Speedo made this claim to the Sydney Morning Herald: "... The company claims swimmers are up to 5 per cent more efficient in their oxygen intake and says the suit has 5 per cent less drag than the previous model. But Speedo, which originated in Australia, is now owned by British firm Pentland Brands and distributed throughout the world, meaning Australia no longer has exclusive access to any of the company's technological breakthroughs. ..." [Link]

My Take: That is an extraordinary claim and it demands extraordinary proof. I don't buy it and I don't appreciate papers making this claim for Speedo without including the evidence to see if it can be reproduced. Same goes for any speed suit manufacturer

UPDATE 3 USA Today raises the bar of 5% less drag made by the Sydney Morning Herald to a whopping "10% less passive drag" then the previous Speedo made in 2004. If this is the case let's see if Michael Phelps posts faster times; i.e. world records at the Missouri Grand Prix meet this weekend. [Link]

Michael Phelps breaks his own world record in the 200 LCM butterfly at the Missouri Grand Prix

The world record now stands at 1:53.71. The previous world record he set, a 1:53.80, was at the Pan Pacific Championship on August 17th.

Hopefully he shaves that mustache for World Championships in March because right now he looks like a refugee from a really bad episode of COPS.