Posts Tagged ‘Speedo Swimwear | Popina Swim | Portland Oregon’

Speedo Swimwear | Popina Swim | Portland Oregon

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

Speedo Swimwear is  available in the Swimwear Downtown Portland Boutique and the NE Portland Swimsuit Boutique.Popina tries to offer what we consider to be the sportier side of Speedo swimwear.  Most of the Speedo swimwear we carry is 100% polyester which holds up much better than traditional nylon spandex swimwear in Chlorine.If you have never heard of Speedo before, below is a little about their history.Born on Bondi Beach near Sydney, Australia in 1928, Speedo is the world’s top-selling swimwear brand. The brand’s history of innovation began that year, as Speedo introduced the Racerback suit - the world’s first non-wool suit allowing greater freedom of motion. Soon after, Swedish swimmer Arne Borg set a world record in Speedo swimwear, establishing the brand in the hearts and minds of swimmers and the general public.

From the first racerback in the 1920’s, Speedo has been behind many of the major innovations in swimwear. In the 1950’s the brand created its first watershort and launched it’s first-ever suit made of Nylon. In the 1970’s, Speedo became the first company to produce swimwear made of Nylon / Elastane. Speedo introduced Endurance, the world’s first chlorine resistant fabric, in 1994. In 2000, Speedo launched the revolutionary Fastskin® swimsuit inspired by shark’s skin. In 2008, Speedo launched the LZR Racer®, in which the world’s best swimmers - led by Michael Phelps - rewrote the record books. Today, Speedo’s new LZR Racer Elite line of suits is being worn by Phelps and fellow Team Speedo stars Natalie Coughlin, Ryan Lochte and Katie Hoff.

Speedo’s rich Olympic history dates back to 1932 when Claire Dennis of Australia won gold in Speedo at the Los Angeles Olympic Games. In 1956 at the Melbourne Olympic Games, Speedo sponsored the entire Australian swim team, transforming Speedo into a world famous brand. In Mexico at the 1968 Games, 27 of 29 gold medalists wore Speedo. At the 1972 Munich Olympics, 21 out of 22 world records were set by athletes wearing Speedo. In Barcelona in 1992, 53% of all swimming medals at the Games were won by athletes wearing Speedo; that number was surpassed in 1996 as 77% of all swimming medals were won by swimmers in Speedo at the Atlanta Olympics. In 2004, Michael Phelps made history by becoming the first ever swimmer to win eight medals at the Olympics, including six gold and two bronze, all while wearing Speedo. Then, in 2008, Phelps, in the greatest swimming performance of all-time, made history again as he won an unprecedented eight gold medals in Beijing.


In 1932, Swede Arne Borg became the first swimmer to earn an Olympic Gold Medal in a Speedo suit. Today, more than 80 years later, more Olympic Gold Medals have been won in Speedo than any other brand.

Supporting the sport of swimming and its athletes, coaches and teams has always been paramount to Speedo. The brand was the first to sign a swimmer to an endorsement contract - Olympic gold medalist Donna de Varona, in the 1960’s. Since then, the top names in swimming have competed in Speedo, including John Naber, Janet Evans, Summer Sanders, Lenny Krayzelburg, Jenny Thompson and many more.

The current decade of swimming has been dominated by Michael Phelps. A Team Speedo star since 2001, Phelps’ relationship with Speedo goes beyond a traditional endorsement contract. Phelps used the $1 million bonus he earned from Speedo for his record medal haul in Beijing to start the Michael Phelps Foundation, a charitable organization committed to growing the sport of swimming.

Today, the top swimmers in the U.S. - and the world - join Phelps as part of Team Speedo, including Natalie Coughlin, Ryan Lochte and Katie Hoff.

Speedo uses the most advanced materials and designs to allow everyone - from Olympic Gold Medalists to children learning to swim - to reach their goals with speed.

 

Popina Swimwear Downtown Portland (Pearl District, Westside, Beaverton, Lake Oswego)
318 NW 11th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97209
503.243.SWIM (7946)
 
Popina Swimwear NE | SE | North Portland (also serving Vancouver, Wa)
4831 NE 42nd Avenue (corner of NE 42nd and Alberta)
Portland, Oregon 97213
503.282.5159