However, another noted coach, Mark Bone, and former Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Toni Jeffs have criticised the plastic suits that have led to 29 world records in four days in Rome.

Hurring, a 1978 Commonwealth Games 200m backstroke gold medallist, said swimming had to move with the times.

"Technology is used in all other sports and my swimmers love the new suits," he said.

"When world records are set it creates excitement and more awareness for the sport."

Hurring acknowledged the bar had been lifted to scary heights. "They can't take the records away, outlawing the suits is a backward step. If I had won a record in a fancy suit I'd want it to stay."

But for all that he admitted things should have been handled better by swimming's governing body, Fina.

"It is going to be extremely difficult for future swimmers, without the use of the suits, to break these records. Fina hasn't governed the issue well ... there should have been a decision much sooner."

Fifteen world records tumbled in the opening three days of the world championships as the new polyurethane full body outfits supersede even Michael Phelps and his Speedo LZR Racer (laser racer) suit.

The American legend lost his first race at a world meeting in four years, beaten in the 200m freestyle by German Paul Biederman, who in the process broke Phelps' world record by almost a second.

China's Zhang Lin surpassed Australian Grant Hackett's previous insurmountable 800m freestyle record by more than six seconds, with his coach Denis Cotterell attributing the swimmer's remarkable form to the "weapons" or suits.

It is believed the swimsuit prevents fatigue from setting in, a theory shared by New Zealand's most successful swimmer, Danyon Loader.

A double Olympic gold medallist, Loader said the new compression swimsuits had revolutionised training.

"Swimmers don't have to do the mileage they used to, allowing them to concentrate on power."

Loader said not only had technology increased speeds but less toned swimmers could be successful because the new suits held extra weight in preventing drag.

Jeffs, a bronze medallist in the 1998 and 2002 Commonwealth Games, said the latest suits were a joke. "The suits are like plastic, it has got out of hand and is very unfair," she said.

"They [Fina] should take the records away. It used to be about you and the water, but it's so much more than that now."

Jeffs said the controversy had devalued what was a genuine sport. "It makes the past records look silly and it will take a complete freak to break them. The athletes must ask themselves, is it me or is it the suit?"