Two of Hong Kong's Olympic squad have been offered the controversial ankle-to-neck swimsuit for the Sydney Games. National record holders Sherry Tsai Hiu-wai and Tam Chi-kin are the only swimmers on the SAR team to be sponsored by Speedo, which developed the full-body swimsuit.
Australian stars Susie O'Neill, Michael Klim and Grant Hackett are in favour of the Speedo gear, which is claimed to give swimmers a three per cent overall improvement, while the country's golden boy Ian Thorpe prefers a similar suit by Adidas.
Tsai, however, has reservations about the suit. 'I tried it in an official competition for the first time during an age-group meet last weekend and it didn't give me a good feeling. It was a little too tight and I felt a bit hot,' said the 17-year-old, who qualified for the women's 50 metres freestyle and the 100m backstroke at the Olympics. 'It remains to be seen whether it suits me or not. I'll make up my mind in September,' the Diocesan Girls' School student said. Tam, 20, who will race in the men's 200m breaststroke in Sydney, said: 'I'll receive it soon but I'm not sure whether it will suit me as a breaststroke swimmer.'
Hong Kong's top swimming official Alan Shum Kar-lun said the final decision rests entirely with the two swimmers.
'We're not in a position to stop them using it because [world governing body] FINA has given its permission. It has been scientifically proved to have a great impact but the effect on Tsai just hasn't shown yet,' Shum said. Tsai will not wear the new suit when she competes in the Asian age-group championships in Pusan, South Korea, next week as she is aiming for immediate results rather than testing her gear.