Whether or not the suits are responsible for 24 world records falling at the Games ?? or Michael Phelps winning eight gold medals ?? remains a topic of discussion.
"They had an impact," Bob Bowman, Phelps' coach, said yesterday. "They certainly contributed."
Alan Thompson, head coach of the powerful Australian swim team, turned his nose up to any talk the blistering pace of the meet was set because of what the swimmers were wearing.
"Negligible," snorted Thompson when asked about the effect of the suits. "Everyone has them. They made no impact."
Ryan Cochrane, who ended Canada's medal drought in the pool by finishing third in the 1,500-metre freestyle (story, S9), said the suit's advantage might be as much psychological as physical.
"You put on a suit that you know has broken so many world records, you are going to be fast," said the Victoria native.
