Here's a look at specially engineered clothing made for competitors, as well as gear available to anyone who wants to catch some of that spirit.

High-Tech outfits

We will be seeing less skin on many Olympic swimmers as they don head-to-toe, high-tech togs designed to improve their speed. Naturally, speed is of the essence in Olympic sports, in which one one-hundredth of a second can mean the difference between a medal and defeat.

Most local swimmers haven't invested in outfits of that caliber, but some experiment with the concept: When David Wilson of Kailua pulls on his Nike Norcal swimsuit for a daily sprint at the Nu'uanu YMCA pool, he gets the impression that he is swimming faster. "OK, so it's probably a psychological thing, but it feels good in the water," he said.

The suit, in fact, does reduce friction in the water, giving Wilson a slight edge. It doesn't hurt that the extra coverage (picture a tank top attached to a long swim trunk) helps protect him from the sun by covering some of his upper body.

In fact, Wilson's covered-up Norcal may look pretty skimpy when compared to Speedo's technical suits, worn by Olympic contenders.

The Speedo Fastskin and FSII full-body suits, which Speedo's Web site says were worn by 29 of 43 Olympians named to the U.S. swim team, cover neck to ankle to wrist. It's all about reducing drag to increase speed.

The suit "mimics the rough shark denticles" (that's the texture of the shark's outer surface) to reduce drag and "features a turbulent management system with vortex controller on chest and shoulder blades," according to Speedo. A panel they refer to as "Flexskin," on the inner forearm, is fabricated from titanium silicon. You have to really need speed, however; these suits will set you back $350 to $400.

While Speedo's design labs focus on speed in the water, Nike and Adidas have created high-tech gear to help keep Olympic athletes cool and comfortable in Athens while maximizing their speed and performance in land-based sports.

For everyday athletes

Olympic technology — or at least, the spirit of achievement embodied in the Games — is trickling down to local athletes, weekend warriors and even couch potatoes. That means Hawai'i fans can watch their favorite sports wearing the same T-shirts, tanks and sweatshirts worn by Olympic athletes in their leisure time.

Each Olympian on the 23 Nike-sponsored teams was provided with a hospitality package that includes The Athens Village Collection. The colors and designs were inspired by national flags of the sponsored teams. The same gear can be found at Niketown in Waikiki.

The Athens line is part of the MMIV Country Collection, which includes cropped, crinkle-hemmed hoodies, tank tops, crew and cap sleeve T-shirts for women, and T-shirts, running tights and shorts for men.

Phil Medina is wearing items from Nike's Speed Collection, including baggy running shorts and half-zip T-shirt.

Countries featured on the men's line are the United States, Italy, Germany, France, Britain and Portugal. The line is made of cotton with a little stretch, and prices range from $24 to $65.

Macy's carries some pieces in this Nike line.

For those seeking high-tech, Olympic-style clothing suited for Hawai'i's summer heat and humidity, Nike has created the Speed Collection, fabricated with Dri-Fit, a fast-drying high tech fabric that draws moisture away from the body.

The texture of the piqué-like fabric creates air space that further enhances the wicking abilities.

The women's Speed Collection includes skirts, board shorts, V-neck tops, Capri pants, hoodies, camisoles and T-shirts in colors such as royal blue, neon green, cayenne and white.

Men's styles include a zip-front T-shirt, split-leg running shorts and baggy shorts. Prices range from $20 to $70.

Adidas has a line of high-tech Olympic-inspired clothing in fabrics called Climalite and Climacool. Macy's carries Adidas' racer-back tanks, zip hoodies and shorts.

Adidas has also designed Olympic logo wear for purchase at www.usolympicshop.com.

Although it's not high tech or high fashion, you can help support the Olympics by purchasing gear, including logo baseball caps, T-shirts, hoodies and polo shirts, as well as Adidas warm-up jackets and podium pants. Prices range from $20 to $65.