Having overdosed on world records, it is now time for swimming to go cold turkey. The sport’s reputation has taken a bashing in the past two years as performance-enhancing suits saw the record books butchered with last year’s Rome world championships turned into a circus.

This week’s Delhi Commonwealth Games trials in Sydney represent the first serious test of FINA’s decision to revert to textile suits.

As the first major swimming country to hold their national titles in the post-supersuit era, the rest of the swimming world will be watching on with interest.

But acting Australian head coach Leigh Nugent implored his troops to maintain an open mind at the six-day qualifying meet for Delhi and Pan Pacs.

“They really have to come here with an open mind and explore their capabilities,” Nugent said.

“It used to be a great meet before the supersuits came in when you got half a dozen world records at an Olympics or a world championships.

“But then when we got overdosed on them they lost their value.”

Swimming is still coming to terms with the damage caused by the supersuits that left fans and the public disillusioned with the sport.

“It possibly lost some of it credibility because of the plethora of world records,” Nugent said.

“It became like `how easy is it to break one of these’ … traditionally it is incredibly hard and now it is going to be harder.”

Under the new rules, the suits are waist-to-knee for men and shoulder-to-knee for women with FINA’s decision to keep the supersuit world records intact leaving the majority of marks well out of reach.

Queensland’s Christian Sprenger is a good example of the fall-out from the supersuits.

He is the world record holder in the 200m breaststroke, having set his mark at the controversial meet in Rome last year.

But his name is barely known outside of the sport because of the apathy towards marks set in polyurethane suits.

He feared it might take some time to win the public over again.

“Yeah it will take some time, the last two years has been about what new suit is coming and all about the suits,” he said.

“The last two years the times have got faster and faster and now it is probably going to take a step back and that is a little bit of a worry.

“Some people may lose interest and we have to sort of just keep putting our heads down and hope to maintain the fans we do have.”

Triple Olympic medallist Jess Schipper said the switch from supersuits at least allowed records to regain some value.

“It might not be as exciting each event but if someone breaks a world record it is going to be fantastic if they do,” she said.

The opening night of action at Sydney Olympic Park on Tuesday will be highlighted by Stephanie Rice’s clash with Emily Seebohm in the 200m medley and Nick D’Arcy’s latest shot at selection in the 200m butterfly.

© AAP 2012

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