SWIMMING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 110, 19 February 1935, Page 2

SWIMMING.

NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. TWO NEW RECORDS' PUT UP. AUCKLAND, February 18. The breaking of two New Zealand records and the success of the Otago representatives in dominating the men's contests were features of the second session of the New Zealand Championships this evening. Competitors setting fresh irecords were P. E. Mathieson (Otago) and. Miss Mona Leydon (Auckland). Mathieson won the 150 yar.ds men's backstroke title decisively from the previous holder, W. Whareaitu (South Auckland) in train 46 4-ssec, a reduction of one-fifth of a second from his own record which he established in Dunedin three weeks ago. Miss Leydon's achievement was in the 440 yards ladies' free-style event. This she won by 15 yards, after making an amazing finishing dash, in smin 52 2-ssec, thus lowering her own time registered last year by 2 l-ssec. Her new record is this figure slower than the Australian record.

Again the 17-year-old Aucklander, W. Johnston, figured in »n exciting finish, the race being this time the halfmile, and his chief rival J. I>. O'Driscoll (Otago). They stayed practically together during the latter stages, of the contest' and fought out a stirring finish. O'Driscoll gained the victory by two yards in llmin 23 J. Neville (Taranaki) was third, and R. Watkins (Hawke's Bay), the winner of the mile on Saturday, was a close fourth. Auckland retains the lead in the Yaldhurst Shield competition, points having been scored as follow: Auckland 30, Otago 21, Southland 6, Hawke's Bay 5, Wanganui 5, South Auckland 4, Canterbury 4, Taranaki 1. Following are the results:

220 YARDS MEN'S FREE-STYLE. W. J. Jarvis (Otago) 1 D: H. Symes (Canterbury) f N. Crump (Auckland) v Also started: R. Frankham (Auckland), J. H. McGrath (Southland). The last 20 yards Jarvis covered with a powerful sprint that sealed his victory by three yards. Symes outpaced Crump by five yards. Time, 2mm 24 4-ssoe.

440 YARDS LADIES' FREE-STYLE. Miss Mona Leydon (Auckland) 1 Miss Nancy Ludlow (Auckland) ... Miss Ngaire Hughes (Canterbury) . 3

Also started: Miss V. Carncross (Taranaki). , _,. After the last turn at 400 yards Miss 'Leydon emphasised her qualities as a stayer. An advantage of three yards she transformed into a victorious margin of 15 yards. Time, smin 52 2-ssec —a New Zealand record.

150 YARDS MEN'S BACKSTROKE. P. E. Mathieson (Otago) ..' 1 W. Whareaitu (South Auckland) . A G. Low (Canterbury) d

Also started: L. J. Moorhouse (Canterbury), R. Paper (Auckland). Won by two yards. Whareaeitu defeated Low by"five yards, Moorhouse being another yard further back, lime, lmin 45' 4-ssec—a New Zealand record.

100 YARDS LADIES' BACKSTROKE Miss Mona Leydon (Auckland) ... \ Miss Nancy Basstian (Southland) ... - Won byi three yards. Time, 1-4 - -880 YARD'S FREE STYLE. First Heat—R. Watkins (Hawke's Bav) 1, J. D. O'Driscoll (Otago) 2, R. Simon (South Auckland) 3. Won by four feet, two feet between second and third. Time, 11.37 3-5. Crump did not start. • ' Second Heat—W. Johnson (Auckland) 1, J. Neville (Taranaki) 2, RThomas (Auckland) 3. Won by ten yards, three yards between second and third., Time", 11.32 3-5. Final. O'Driscoll 1 Johnson 2 Neville 3

O'Driscoll entered the twenty-sixth lap a yard and a half ahead of Johnson, and it was now that the Aucklander endeavoured to save his laurels. He sprinted hard, and while the spectators barracked him, he gradually wore down O'Driscoll's advantage and turned just behind. Profiting from the momentum of his turn, O'Driscoll shot away from Johnson in a fine sprint and reached his objective a winner by two yards. Time, 11.23 2-5.

THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE. SWIMMING IN SCHOOLS. ' AUCKLAND, February 18. Overseas tours, educational work in swimming and the control of diving, were among the subjects discussed today by the annual conference of delegates affiliated with the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association. Remits adopted will be submitted to the New Zealand Council as rccommendar tions. The chairman of the Auckland Centre (Mr R. M. Sheffield) was elected chairman of the conference. It was decided to recommend the inclusion of New Zealand diving championship events for junior boys and girls and intermediate girls. The conference unanimously passed a Wellington remit that the Government should be asked to make swimming compulsory in schools where facilities were available, and that teaching swimming should be placed on the syllabus as a compulsory, subject in the teachers' course of training. Mr B. O. Sporle (Manawatu) advocated a swimming week throughout the Dominion. It was also decided that the Government be asked to make ..provision for swimming baths when building new schools.

The Otago Centre is to be recommended for the New Zealand senior championship meeting of 1936, and the South Auckland Centre for, the intermediate and junior championships. The conference expressed approval of the movement to hold championships for Maoris.

It was decided to recommend an examination for diving judges for the purpose of obtaining a uniform standard among them.'