Sprint Triathlon - Pool Swim Clothing Advice Needed

Since you are going to be putting a top on for the rest of the race, my recommendation would be tri top for the swim since putting on a shirt/jersey or other snug fitting garment on while wet and tired is a chore.  Practice once or twice before the race, just to get the feel of the tri-top.

My first couple of races were pool sprints and there were a handful of both, Tri-tops and not. So no worries about being the only one doing one thing or the other.

But if you do chose to put the top on in T-1, just get your arms and head into it and take off.  You can pull/adjust where it hangs up while biking!

And congrats and good luck on your first race coming up, fun stuff!  Have a good time!