FOR most elite athletes, 10 years of gruelling training is enough to wear them down, forcing them to retire or take extended breaks just to lengthen their careers.

Not swimmer Aaron Peirsol. Widely regarded as the best backstroke specialist in the world, the American has been dominating his race categories for the past decade, smashing their world records many times over.

Yet, the 26-year-old rarely stops training, going through his usual regimen week in, week out.

"I guess I never really treated it as work," he said, as he prepares to take part in this weekend's Fina/Arena Swimming World Cup series in Singapore.

"All the training makes me feel great. I feel I can go on racing for much longer."

The five-time Olympic gold medallist is also supportive of the high-tech swimsuits which have helped slash plenty of world records this year, but which will be banned in January next year.

He said: "The core aspects of swimming, like training and mastering the stroke, must still be fulfilled to set the fastest times. I'll miss the excitement of seeing so many records broken."

More than 200 swimmers around the world will take part in this weekend's World Cup series at Singapore Sports School. Tickets range from $20 to $30 and can be purchased at www.finaworldcup.com.sg

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