That's what Mars Blackmon would tell Michael Phelps if the two were paired in a commercial for Speedo's LZR Racer.
A lot of world records have been set in that suit, 46 according to the Speedo Web site, and it has spawned lawsuits. TYR, a competitor that Naperville native Mary DeScenza endorses, has filed suit against Speedo, former TYR swimmer Erik Vendt and USA swimming head coach Mark Schubert. On Thursday, Vendt filed a countersuit.
Both Naperville Central graduate Kelly McNichols and Neuqua Valley graduate Melissa Marik wore the LZR Racer at the Olympic Trials last week.
The Heat Index asked them if they liked the suit and what it means for their sport.
McNichols set lifetime bests in all five of her events, but was nervous about using the suit because it was a rental from the Speedo tent. After plunking down her credit card number as a deposit, the Georgia junior was able to get in and out of the $550 suit without ripping it.
"I wore it and totally believe in it," McNichols said. "I think the suit is an amazing advancement in swimming. I think it's great that I was able to be, you know, swimming in a time when something like this was created because it's literally proven to be an essential tool in swimming fast. It's really that good. It's amazing."
Marik qualified for the trials in the 200-meter freestyle the first time she wore the LZR Racer. She set three career marks out of five events at the trials. But she stopped well short of the effusive praise coming from McNichols.
"I personally, I wasn't a big fan out it," Marik said.
The Auburn junior said a suit is a suit. Any advantage it may give the swimmer is mental Marik said. But if that's what the cool kids are wearing...
"It's unfortunate that swimming is kind of going in that direction," Marik said. "Personally, I just wish we would all just wear like regular practice suits. I just think that would be a lot easier for us because putting on those suits is way harder than the actual race.
"It takes me a good 30 minutes to put that suit on."
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