A revolutionary swimming starting block that could improve times in swimming has been on show in lane 9 at the Beijing test event at the Watercube this past week.

The innovation comes courtesy of Omega and is said to have the support of FINA, though not everyone is entirely pleased, according to Nicole Jeffery, of The Australian, who reported from the Watercube.

Australian swimmers may be disadvantaged if the new block, which has an angled piece at the rear of the platform that resembles a track starting block, is used at the Olympic Games proper. Omega claims an increase in starting speed of 0.1sec.

Alan Thompson, head coach to the Dolphins and secretary of the FINA coaches committee, is unhappy that Omega has offered to supply each nation with two test blocks so that swimmers can get used to it before Beijing. Two blocks for nations such as the USA and Australia, heavily weighted as they are in medal hopes, would not be enough to ensure all those with a potential for making it to Beijing could get to practice off the block as much as would be required.

The Australian Institute of Sport and the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre had both tried unsuccessfully to order sets of the blocks, Thompson told The Australian.

'Everyone thinks the blocks are a great idea, but we won't have any time to practise on them before the Olympics,' he said. 'If we're not ready to do it properly before the Olympics, let's not rush it. I think the blocks have to be more widely available first. We need to practise and race with them. While they are not readily available, it puts some people at a disadvantage.'

FINA will vote on the issue at its meeting in April in Manchester, when the English city will stage the world s/c championships. Coached want a start date of September 1, post Beijing. The block was firsts seen in tests at Melbourne 2007 but has undergone improvements since.

There will doubtless be pressure to have the innovation on show at the biggest showcase in world sport. A new piece of kit that will be on display is Omega's digital video replay system to check on the legality of starts, finishes and relay changeovers.