Has too much technology muddied the waters?

He swam so improbably fast, making up so much ground in a foaming, desperate attempt to reach the wall first...

He swam so improbably fast, making up so much ground in a foaming, desperate attempt to reach the wall first in the 4215;100-meter relay, that Jason Lezak not only won a gold medal for the United States on Monday, but he also helped to shatter the world record by nearly four seconds.

That race alone would have provided an astonishing day of swimming, but it was the third world record of the morning and the seventh in three days. An eighth record was set later on Monday, and two more on Tuesday 8212; making the total two more than the records broken in all of Athens 2004.

Not only are world marks tumbling, but some are being lowered by staggering margins.

Advances in training techniques, pool design and swimsuit technology have contributed to the increases in speed for swimmers, who also enjoy financial incentives that allow them to remain in the sport longer than they would have two decades ago. If Phelps breaks the record of seven swimming gold medals won by Mark Spitz at the 1972 Munich Olympics, he will receive a 1 million bonus from Speedo, the swimsuit manufacturer.

Records devalued?

At the same time, some swimming officials are questioning whether the multitude of records devalues each one and whether human performance is being unduly aided by technology.

8220;When technology is used in a sport, it is important to be in control of the way it is being developed and where it might lead us,8221; Claude Fauquet, the technical director of the French swimming federation, said in reference to swimsuit technology.

Fauquet has called for more debate about the use of Speedo8217;s LZR Racer, the latest advance in the full-body suit craze. The Racer has been worn in the setting of about four dozen world records since its introduction in February. The corsetlike suit is made by ultrasonic welding instead of stitching, can require a half-hour to put on.

Pool design

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More sophisticated pool design has also helped to dissipate wave action. The pool in Beijing is three meters deep, compared with two meters for many racing pools. The added depth is designed to lessen resistance.

For major international competitions, the pool is 10 lanes wide, instead of eight. The two empty outside lanes serve as buffers, keeping the waves from ricocheting, dispersing them instead to a gutter system.

The plastic buoys that serve as lane dividers are designed to direct water downward instead of outward.

8220;If I had to design a pool, this is what it would look like,8221; said Brendan Hansen of the US. And there must be more who agree.