Suits affect credibility, says coach

MELBOURNE: The high-tech swimming suits worn when world records were lowered more than 100 times this year could be affecting the credibility of the performances, the coach of the world's fastest male and female swimmers has said.

Australia's Grant Stoelwinder, who coaches 50 and 100m freestyle record holders Eamon Sullivan and Libby Trickett, said he estimated the suits were improving times by 0.3 seconds a lap and new developments would only give swimmers more of an edge.

"The suits do make a difference and now we are getting to a point where some suits are starting to make a lot more of a difference," he was reported as saying in yesterday's The Age newspaper.