Olympic Newsdesk - FINA Approves Swimsuits; Former Japan PM: Obama a Factor in 2016 Race

A number of hi-tech swimsuits were approved by FINA on Monday. (Getty Images)FINA Approves Hi-Tech Swimsuits

A number of hi-tech swimsuits responsible for a spate of world records in the last few years were approved by swimming federation FINA on Monday.

As a result of the decision, the accepted suits are eligible to be worn at the FINA world championships in Rome in July.

Many of the approved suits were left off of FINA’s original list last month, but were accepted on the current list after modifications were made by the manufacturers.

Among the suits that were approved by FINA are the Jaked 01, which was worn by Frederick Bousquet of France when he broke the 50-meter freestyle world record at the French championships in April, and the Arena-X Glide, which French swimmer Alain Bernard wore when he surpassed the 100 freestyle world record and became the first man to break the 47 second barrier at the French championships.

A total of 100 world records have been set in the last 18 months by swimmers wearing the hi-tech suits.

Former Japan PM Says Obama Factor Threatens Tokyo 2016 Bid

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori admits U.SFormer Japanese prime minister Yohsiro Mori said Barack Obama could be a determining factor in the selection of the 2016 host. (Getty Images)President Barack Obama could boost Chicago’s chances of landing the 2016 Olympics at the October vote.

Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo are also in the race but the Japanese Olympic Committee board member pinpointed the U.S. bid as the main threat. He said Chicago would be “helped by Obama's popularity”, and suggested that the president could have a similar impact as Tony Blair had on London beating Paris to win the right to host the 2012 Games.

“Obama could be a factor of course. I don't think [Japanese PM] Taro Aso would have much impact. I do wonder how many times the United States needs to host the Olympics though,” he told Reuters. Both Obama and Aso, along with the heads of government from Spain and Brazil, are expected to attend the IOC Session in Copenhagen.

Questioning whether IOC members would vote to bring the Olympics to Europe again [with Madrid] after the London 2012 Games, Mori also voiced doubts over the Japanese bid’s chances of luring the Games back to Asia so soon after Beijing.

Serena Sets Sights on 2012 Olympics

Tennis superstar Serena Williams said she is planning on making a third Olympic appearance in 2012.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday at Wimbledon, where she is the second-seeded women’s player and defending women’s doubles champion, the American said she would play until her mid-30s.

“Why not?” she said. “I want to play the Olympics here.”

Williams said “it's really not that far off. It's just, what, three years? So I definitelySerena Williams intends to go for gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. (Getty Images)would love to be playing the Olympics here and representing, going for more golds. It's my favorite.”

Williams played at the 2000 and 2008 Olympics where she won gold with her sister, Venus, in doubles. She missed the 2004 Games due to injury.

She started her 2009 Wimbledon campaign off on the right foot Monday, defeating Neuzsa Silva of Portugal on the first day of the tournament.

Briefs…

…Gold medalist Michael Phelps swam to victories in the 100-meter butterfly and the 100-meter freestyle at the Canada Cup swim meet in Montreal last weekend. Phelps had a personal -best time of 50.48 seconds in the 100 butterfly on Saturday and finished with a 100 freestyle time of 48.65 seconds on Sunday.

…Vancouver Canucks center Mats Sundin said he will not play for Sweden when it defends its Olympic title at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. The 38-year old Sundin helped lead Sweden to the gold medal at the 2006 Olympics in Turin.

…The European Handball Federation (EHF) and international sports marketing group Infront Sports & Media are extending their current long-term marketing partnership for the European men’s and women’s handball championships through 2020. Infront has handled the television distribution and marketing for the European handball championships since 1993.

Media Watch

The Vancouver Sun has an article about getting Barack Obama to the Vancouver Olympics.

http://www.vancouversun.com/Business/asking+Barack+Obama+Olympics/1720433/story.html

A report in Bangladeshi media says the Bangladesh Olympic Association CEO is behaving “like an autocrat.”

http://bdnews24.com/details.php?id=87864&cid=5

Written by Mark Bisson, Greg Oshust, Isia Reaves and Ed Hula III