(NewsNation) — The swimsuits worn at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris use a water repellant engineered from the same technology that protects satellites from cosmic radiation.
Tech suits, which are different than regular swimsuits, are designed to reduce friction, or drag, in the water and improve hydrodynamics. Speedo, a global leader in producing tech suits for elite swimmers, develops new suits in their global research and development facility, the Speedo Aqualab.
For the Paris Olympics, Speedo has partnered with innovation and technology company Lamoral to make new tech suits for Speedo swimmers called the Fastskin LZR Intent 2.0 and the Fastskin LZR Valor 2.0.
Lamoral’s origins were to protect satellites from the harsh conditions of outer space, and its technology is used to protect textiles and buildings from the weather.
“Our new development with Lamoral underpins Aqualab’s mission to push the limits of swimwear design through innovation,” said Simon Breckon, senior vice president at Speedo. “We’ve retained all the brilliant properties that make Speedo Fastskin suits the world’s fastest. The world’s best just got even better.”
Fastskin LZR swimsuits are made with a lightweight fabric coating that has the lowest water absorption rate and uses Lamoral’s patented technology to create six times more durable water repellency, according to a statement from the company.
At the Paris Olympics, Speedo swimmers will be able to choose between the Intent 2.0 and the Valor 2.0. Athletes can pick the more comfortable and buoyant option, depending on their events.
“The collaboration with Speedo shows our dedication bringing high performing products to market,” said Theo Verweerden, CEO at Lamoral, in a statement.