Bank of America called a press conference for 4x100 Men’s relay swimmer Cullen Jones after the team’s Gold medal victory at the miraculous Water Cube, where 25 world records were broken. For press conferences like this, we decided to arrive earlier to secure a spot for the camera and avoid any unnecessary elbow fights for our cameraman.
Jones is the first African American to hold a world record in swimming. As records were smashed one after another at the Aquatic Centre this summer, media attention turned towards the many factors that made this Olympics a breakthrough for swimming.
First, there is the theory that the design of the water cube plays a role in increasing performance in the pool, making it the fastest pool in the world. It is 3 meters deep, a meter deeper than that of Athens, which allows swimmers to go faster with less drag.
Then, there is the Speedo LZR Racer suit, which was worn by all, except 2, of the record-breaking swimmers. Designed with NASA, the LZR Racer is said to be able to cut swimming time by up to 2%.
As Jones talked about his training days and dedication to swimming as a sport, he was quick to dismiss any thoughts about the suit being the main reason for his success. “What I can tell you is that, THE SUIT did not wake up at 5am in the morning for training. I did,” he reminded the crowd.
And he’s probably not the one to talk to for Speedo credits. After all, he wasn’t sponsored by the swimwear maker. Endorsements don’t go cheap at this Olympics.
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