Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) scientists are applying high-tech ‘Wet Plate’ technology to help finetune and improve the changeovers of Australia’s top male relay swimmers in the lead-up to the London 2012 Olympic Games and beyond.

It is the fraction of a second in a swimming relay changeover that can mean the difference between a medal placing or finishing out of the running.

Minister for Sport Mark Arbib visited the AIS Swimming and Recovery Centre this month to see how cutting-edge ‘Wet Plate’ technology developed by the AIS is being used to improve the changeovers of Australia’s top male relay swimmers at the national men’s sprint camp.

Minister Arbib met with nine Australian swimmers including Matt and Andrew Abood, Geoff Huegill, James Magnussen, Cameron McEvoy, Mitchell Patterson, Eamonn Sullivan, Kristopher Taylor and Joseph Carty, who were training at the AIS.

The national men’s sprint camp is preparing the swimmers for competition leading into the 2011 FINA World Championships and London 2012 Olympic Games.

Thirty-two year old Huegill, an Olympian and dual Commonwealth Games gold medallist, says coming to the AIS facilities always adds an extra incentive to train well.

‘Since coming back into the sport, I’ve been able to swim here a number of times and being able to compare analysis from the last couple of years has been really beneficial for me.

‘The AIS has always been at the forefront of performance analysis, and a lot has changed since I first came to Canberra as part of the Australian team in 1997,’ said Huegill.

During the Minister’s visit, the head of AIS Aquatic Testing, Training and Research, Bruce Mason, demonstrated the ‘Wet Plate’ technology — force platforms built into the starting blocks and pool wall — that is being used by Australian coaches to capture data and provide analysis about changeovers, starts, turns and the underwater velocity of the men’s relay swimmers.

This data is captured by a computer software program and displays the analysis on a plasma screen. This allows coaches to tap into a wealth of data and video footage about force, velocity and entry angles related to the performance of Australian swimmers.

Mason said a key focus of the training camp was on improving relay changeovers.

‘We don’t get as much practice with relay changeovers as other countries such as the United States, which has a strong history of training and competition in these team events,’ Mason said.

‘Relay finishes are often very close, and we can’t afford to lose fractions of a second in starts, turns and relay changeovers, and then hope to achieve a medal placing at the Olympics.

‘Similarly you can’t afford to changeover too quickly and run the risk of disqualification in the relay.

‘It’s not only the swimmer on the block that makes the difference, but also the swimmer touching the wall in the water in the relay changeover.’

The AIS is renowned for conducting groundbreaking sports science and technological innovation. 

The ‘Wet Plate’ software and hardware technology is a product of AIS ingenuity and design developed by AIS staff in the AIS Aquatic Testing, Training and Research program, the AIS Technological Laboratory and AIS Applied Sensors program.

Mason said a national training camp for the men’s and women’s relay swimmers was held at the AIS before the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The camp contributed to Australia’s relay swimmers achieving an outstanding result at the Beijing Games. It was the first time that Australia had claimed a medal in every relay swimming event at an Olympic Games.