By: Yi Chen

In competitive Olympic swimming, a few milliseconds is the difference between a loss and victory. Even though ability and training are key points for success, special swimsuits can benefit the Olympic races in 2024.

For the Paris 2024 Olympic games, Speedo, a company that produces swim gear and swim-related accessories, presented the newest swimsuits. The company affirms that athletes wearing these LZR suits have broken about half the individual swimming world records from 2019 and half the gold medals at Tokyo 2020.

The LZR suits are designed with space technology. The thin layer on the suit was designed to protect satellites in space. According to Dogonews, it makes the swimsuits extremely water-repellent. These LZR suits are designed for professional swimmers. The suits can be good for relay racing and focus on reducing drag, which is the force in the surrounding fluid that slows you down. People in the Olympics such as Caeleb Dressel, Ryan Murphy, and Regan Smith, will be testing these LZR swimsuits at the Paris Olympics.

Other companies are also creating beneficial swimsuits. One example is TYR’s Venzo suit, which features smooth, silky yarn originally developed for the military. The frictionless material is hydrophobic and reduces drag. The suit’s inventive design supports the core and legs, boosts stability, and adds comfort.

The swimsuit’s impact on athletic performance is constantly debated. According to Dogonews, Ryan Murphy, one of the swimmers testing the LZR suits, said “Any little thing we can get to improve times, improve body position in the water, assist your technique, you’re looking for that.” Many people aren’t sure if these suits are allowed at the Olympics since they can provide a small advantage to the competitors.