Aussie IP
Speedo
The first Speedo swimming costumes appeared on the market in 1928. Since then, there have been many specially designed suits that offered athletes a potential ‘competitive advantage’.
One of the most controversial inventions in swimming today is the bodysuit, in particular the sharkskin swim suit, made by Speedo with the help of Australian scientists, using the patented Fastskin Fabric.
Made with a super-stretch fabric, and designed to imitate the sleek skin of a shark, the Speedo suit fits the body snugly and compresses the muscles of the swimmer which proves — according to Speedo — to be more efficient since muscles work in groups. Speedo has also created an anatomic/dynamic pattern where seams on the suits act like muscles and tendons as they stretch with overall hand and body movement.
Gold medallists Michael Klim and Grant Hackett wore the bodysuits at the Sydney Games. Speedo says 82 per cent of swimming gold medallists at the Sydney 2000 Olympics wore the Speedo Fastskin bodysuit.
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