SACRAMENTO, California— Here’s fantastic news that our Olympics-bound swimmers—Miguel Molina, Daniel Coakley, James Walsh, Ryan Arabejo and Christel Simms—ought to look into.

If you haven’t checked out the Speedo web site, please do.

The fast skin LZR racer is here and pre-orders are now being taken.

Since its February launch in New York, Sydney, London and Tokyo, the LZR (short for laser) racer has become the most hyped piece of sports apparel in recent memory.

Why?

It’s because renowned swimmers have chosen to wear the LZR, with amazing results.

As of today, the Speedo web site says 18 new world records in the pool have been smashed by aqua stars that wiggled themselves into the tight-fitting, high tech swimwear.

The records have been sunk in such recent blue ribbon swim competitions as the Australian Trials in Sydney and the European Championships in Einhoven, Belgium, and modest events such as the Missouri Grand Prix long course meet in Columbia.

Among the world record beaters in an LZR racer are Australia’s Eamon Sullivan and Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry.

Sullivan obliterated his own 50-meter freestyle record and Alain Bernard’s record not once but twice during the Australian Trials.

Coventry, smashed a world record that had stood for 16 years in the 200-meter backstroke during the Missouri long course event.

She of course gave her country its first swimming gold medal at the Athens Olympics four years ago.

The LZR racer, approved by Fina, swimming’s international governing body was designed with the assistance of NASA rocket scientists. It has bonded seams, so no stitches to cause drag and a hidden zipper, again, for less drag. Speedo says LZR panels reduce drag in some areas of the swimsuit by as much as 24% compared to other Speedo suits.

The wave of world records has sparked discourse over the high tech apparel. The nagging question is does it provide an unfair benefit?

Six-time Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps, an LZR racer poster boy has fueled the
debate.

Says Phelps in the Speedo web site about wearing the suit: “When I hit the water, I feel like a rocket.” The American swimmer will attempt a historic eight-medal haul in Beijing this year.

Other observers and swimmers say the LZR racer allows far less talented swimmers to go fast,” making records meaningless.

But multiple-gold-medal-winner Gary Hall Jr., who is among the Speedo swimmers, in a talk with the Los Angeles Times cautioned sports fans “against reading too much into the technology.”

“Guys like Michael Phelps can roll out of bed in the morning in cutoffs and break the world record,” he told the Times. “So I don’t think you can give credit or fault to the suit. Is it the reason why records are being broken? It’s debatable.”

The LZR racer is food for thought, indeed for our swimming hopefuls Arabejo, Molina, Coakley, Walsh and Simms.

* * *

Speaking of apparel, damn the fashion police at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics.

If I were Chef de mission Monico Puentavella and our exalted Olympic sports leaders, I would not be worrying about dressing our athletes according to fashion in Beijing this August.

I would be thinking, instead about ultra-modern clothing to wear when I return to Manila after the Games.

For Monico and friends, a Kevlar suit as a shield from the incoming media barrage would not be a bad idea.

Unless our Olympic delegation to China pulls off a miracle.