|
HI-TECH: The suits modelled by Jana Rawlinson (foreground) and her fellow athletes are expected to help improve performance. -- PHOTO: AP
|
SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA'S Olympic athletes on Monday unveiled a radical new range of hi-tech uniforms which manufacturer adidas claims will give them a significant advantage over their opponents at the Beijing Olympics in August.
The Melbourne Herald Sun reported that the outfits could improve speeds by 1 per cent - a metre or more in short sprints - that could mean the difference between a silver and gold medal.
The uniforms - the equivalent of the controversial Nasa-tested bodysuits worn by world record-breaking swimmers in recent months - have been approved by the International Olympic Committee.
Similar ones will be worn by British, French and German athletes at the Olympics.
Among other things, the uniforms will help keep athletes cooler in the heat, humidity and pollution of Beijing than they would be in bare skin, according to adidas.
This is because the fabric's ventilation channels keep cool air flowing in and heat and sweat flowing out.
The compression suits feature something called thermoplastic urethane power bands, which are anchored at key points such as the waist or above the knees.
They work in unison with key muscle groups and function 'like springs'. They are also lightweight and allow wide freedom of movement.
According to adidas, the uniforms allow the wearer to run 1.1 per cent faster, produce 5.3 per cent more power and use 0.8 per cent less oxygen.
It is the first time the powerbands have been used in Olympic uniforms. But the technology can be found in underwear worn by rugby and soccer teams, including the All Blacks and Liverpool FC.
Australian athletes have not had a chance to test the uniforms in competition yet, but say they could make all the difference.
Jana Rawlinson, the two-time 400 metres hurdles world champion, said the design of the new outfits would mostly benefit sprinters.
'The outfits will help performance if you've trained to your ability and are strong enough to use them,' she said. 'It would slow a normal person down - they wouldn't be strong enough to wear it.
'Split seconds can mean you lose medals. If I need it in the last couple of seconds, it could get me across the line in front.'
Australian 800m champion Lachlan Renshaw is expected to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the suit.
'It feels great around the legs and it has the ability to give you extra power in the last 100m when you're fatiguing,' he said.
Cyclist Anna Meares said she welcomed the aerodynamically shaped cycling uniform, which boasts a shiny surface designed to reduce air resistance.
'If it means the difference between a silver medal or a gold, I'll take it,' she said.
|
