Six gold medals and two bronze. It’s no wonder Michael Phelps is the talk around the water cooler.
Except swimming’s not the only thing folks are talking about.
Why on Earth does his swimsuit ride so danged low?
Comfort may be a key factor, some sportswear manufacturers said.
“From [the athlete’s] point of view, the No. 1 for wearing anything is for comfort,” said Diane Shiviskis-McCaffrey, director of men’s and women’s apparel for Fila.
Also, Olympic swimmers obviously want to be fast. One enemy to quickness is “drag,”–a force that slows down swimmers’ momentum. Could Phelps’ buttocks-baring way of wearing his swimsuit actually be a clever drag-reducing technique?
It’s possible, said David Pendergast, a professor of physiology and biophysics at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Pendergast and a colleague have developed a new drag-reducing device called a turbulator. The turbulator, in simplified terms, is a ridge that alters the flow around the body and decreases drag.
Pendergast said the waistband around Phelps’ jammers could be serving as a makeshift turbulator.
“So actually wearing his suit where he does may actually serve to his advantage,” he said.
“Whether it’s science or whether it’s all image,” said Stefan Anikewich, a public relations executive, “it’s working for him. He’s winning, and everybody’s talking about it.”
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MEDAL TRACKER
Through Sunday
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U.S. China Russia Australia Germany
Gold 21 22 7 12 8
Silver 22 14 13 8 9
Bronze 15 10 16 12 12
Totals 58 46 36 32 29
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