Rome, July 28 (DPA) Swimmers competing in Rome at the swimming world championships have said they are looking forward to a ruling by the sport’s controlling body that will prohibit bodysuits and greatly restrict the type of textiles that can be used.
Ariana Kukors, who smashed her own women’s 200m individual medley world record by nearly a second and became the first women to swim under two minutes seven seconds when she won gold in 2:06.15, said Monday that she welcomed the change.
“It will be very difficult for others to break all these amazing world records. But that simply means that for a while the focus will not be on the times.”
Rice said that she believed it would take some time for swimmers to get back to the level at which they are now.
“But swimmers will then simply be ranked on their positions, but you will still have first, second and third places, even if they do not have the times that are being achieved now.”
Hungarian Katinka Hosszu, who won bronze in the women’s 200m IM, quipped that she hoped the new suits that were allowed would be easier to get in.
“It takes me a long time to get into my swimsuit now,” she said.
Superstar Michael Phelps said that he too, looked forward to the changes. “Swimming is going to be swimming again.
“The issue of the swimsuits will no longer be a question and that is something very exciting. I am very excited about the whole thing and I think it will be great for the sport.”
rounak