World record sprinter Cielo struggles in freestyle

IRVINE, Calif. -- Brazilian Cesar Cielo set the 50m and 100m freestyle world records in 2009 -- the year of the suits -- but has struggled this season.

Cielo's lack of finishing speed in the sprint freestyle events was evident at the Pan-Pacific Championships this week, where he finished second in the 50m and third in the 100m.

Cielo was asked what's going on with his stroke, and he was clearly not satisfied with his conditioning or his performance.

"My freestyle is not going as well as I expected," Cielo said. "It's something that I haven't done well in practice. I gotta figure out what the problem is with all the workouts. Throughout the season we've gotta figure out what we've done wrong."

Cielo then spoke in response to a question about last year's high-tech swimsuits and whether or not he misses racing in them. New regulations went into effect Jan. 1 that restrict men's suits to jammers (waist to knees) and shoulders-to-knees outfits for women.

Times across the board have suffered this season, and no world records have fallen after 43 were set at the 2009 World Championships.

"I think the suits are gone and this talk should be gone as well," Cielo said. "Everybody swims at the same level again, everybody had the suit, now everybody has a jammer. I think I'm having some problems and everybody's having to deal with the same thing."

Cielo did manage to win the 50m butterfly, which is not an Olympic event, on Wednesday.