Yet swimming world records might be scarce in the London Aquatics Centre. In the aftermath of Beijing 2008, the sport spent a year involved in technological warfare as rival companies vacuum-packed their swimmers in ultra-aerodynamic suits to give them a competitive edge. Then the world governing body, FINA, rewrote the rules on swimsuits and restored some order, but by then the damage to the record books had been done.
Since 2009, wearing considerably slower suits, only Ryan Lochte in the men's 200m medley and China's Sun Yang in the men's 1500m freestyle have set new world records, both at last year's World Championships. No woman has broken a world record since the 2009 suits were banned.
In the 1980s mostly Eastern Bloc athletes set records. In the years since, a succession of doping revelations has left the authenticity of many from that era in doubt.
David Moorcroft, Britain's former 5,000m world record-holder, thinks records are more credible now and we're getting performances more representative of what athletes are naturally capable of.
Some are betting the hunt for records at London 2012 may come from the Olympic Velodrome. "It's going to be an extremely fast venue," said British Cycling's performance director, Dave Brailsford. "Hopefully we'll see some records fall."
Quiz 測驗 1. According to the article, what did FINA do when companies were developing more technology to make swimmers faster?
It rewrote the rules about what swimmers could wear in competitions.
2. Who set most records in the 1980s?
Eastern bloc athletes.
3. Is this true, false or not given? Cases of doping have made people doubt world records from the past.
True.
4. What expression refers to people who don't believe something is going to happen for sure?
They don't hold their breath.
5. What word means 'it's not allowed'?
Banned.
Glossary 词汇表 to hold (their) breath屏住呼吸 to achieve取得 archery射箭（術） weightlifting舉重 athletics田徑運動員 track cycling場地自行車 swimming游泳 scarce稀少的 technological warfare技術戰 ultra-aerodynamic超級空氣動力學的 a competitive edge競爭優勢 a world governing body世界管理機構 a record book一個記錄本 200m medley女子200米混合泳 1500m freestyle1500米自由泳 to be banned禁止 doping服用興奮劑 the world record-holder世界紀錄保持者 The Olympic Velodrome奧林匹克自行車賽場
