SWIMMING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 98, 6 February 1936, Page 3

SWIMMING

INTERNATIONAL MERMAIDS. OLYMPIC GAMES CANDIDATES. (By “Backstroke.”) French swimming critics are enthusing over the feats of Renee Blondeau of Paris, and are tipping her to make a great bid for victory at Berlin next August. She recently beat the German champion, Cigola Arendt. Just 16, Miss Blondeau, in a race over 100 metres with Miss Arendt, in a 50-metre pool at Paris, won easily, and registered the fine time of 1.8 4-5, established a new French record, the previous mark of 1.9 3-5 standing against her own name. The French critics are justified in considering their compatriot good enough to upset calculations at Berlin, fqr during the past 12 months, the only girls to have beaten the French star’s time are Willi den Ouden and Rie Mastenbroek (Holland) and Jeannette Campbell, of Argentina.

Fine swimming featured the annual carnival held by members of the Universities of Waseda and Oakuin (Japan), which took place in a 50-metre pool at Tokio. Had competition been keener, Waseda swimmers, who, captured all but one event, would have registered even better times. Results: 100 metres, Y. Simura, 59 2-5; 200 metres, T. Katsaka, 2.17 4-5; 400 metres, R. Sinma, 4.49 1-5; 800 metres, S. Makino, 10.21 1-5; 100 metres backstroke, S. Katuhisa, 1.14 2-5. The only event won by an Oakuin student was the 200 metres breaststroke, taken by U. Osako in 2.56 1-5. Some Promising Germans.

Germany has developed another woman breaststroke exponent who will have to be seriously reckoned with at Berlin in the 200 metres. Her name is Miss Molschlager and she is reported to have swum 200 metres in a 50metre pool in the sparkling time of 3.7 2-5. • Another German of promise is the newly-developed C. Freeze, who has bettered three German free-style records by swimming 1500 metres in 20.39 and returning 10.54 2-5 for 800 metres and 13.38 4-5 for 1000 metres during the race. Pretty Mrs Olive Voight Hatch, of Los Angeles, who finished second in the U.S.A. freestyle championship of 1933, and who did not compete last summer, is training again. Good judges welcome her return 'to the sport as, it she regains her former speed, she will be a great asset to the U.S.A. Olympic 400 metres team at Berlin. America has developed another amazing backstroke swimmer in Dorothy horbes (15), of New Jersey. Dorothy recently swam 100 yards in a 20-yard pool in 1.9 4-5 breaking Olympic champion Mrs Eleanor Holm Jarrett’s American 20-yard record of 1.10 3-5. Backstroke for juveniles.

By adding diving contests for intermediate girls and for both junioi boys and. girls to the programme foi the Auckland intermediate and junior championships tho Auckland Centie has conformed with the new policy of holding diving in all classes at the .Dominion championships. The omission of backstroke events is to be deplored (says the “New Zealand Herald”) There is no backstroke at the New Zealand meeting, and, in view of the achievements already gained by seniors it is a mystery why the stroke is not encouraged among the young people. The centre deserves commendation for making the distance for the freestyle handicap events 100 yards. This is an official distance, and with the senior championships so near, the two races will bo good tests of form. With these remarks one cannot help but agree. As was pointed out some weeks ago in this column, if no encouragement is given to the youngsters to swim backstrokestroke, where are the seniors coming from? The Otago Centre introduced the backstroke events m all grades at the recent intermediate and junior provincial championships, and besides proving an encouraging sue cess, the race brought forward some promising talent. It is to be hoped that at the forthcoming annual conference, the New Zealand Council will pass a remit which will recommend that backstroke championships will bo included in the programmes of future New Zealand intermediate and junior meetings.

Honour to Clare Dennis. Honour of taking tho oath of amateurism at the National Games at Adelaide is to bo given, for the first time, to a woman —Clare Dennis. The oath is one of the spectacular ceremonies connected with the opening of the Games. She will stand on the official dais. With the Australian flag in her left hand she will recite, before the assembled athletes, who will raise their right hands:— “Wo declare that we will take pan in the National Games in loyal competition, respecting the regulations which govern them and are desirous of participating in them m the true spirit of sportsmanship for the honoiu of our country and for the glory oi sport.” Water Polo Team Wanted.

Tho question of the Auckland Centre’s shouldering, in conjunction with clubs ready to assist, the burden o bringing to Auckland an Australian water polo team toward the end of the season was discussed at the centre’s meeting recently, the New Zealand Council having dismissed the proposal for a Dominion tour because it considered there was no reasonable chance of covering the expense, this caution made members of the Auckland Centro more dubious even of the possibilities of a visit, to the city alone, for which the placing of the cost at £—o was regarded as a very conservative estimate, and as a result, confidence in the project was only lukewarm. A motion opposing further action was withdrawn in favour of the matter being

referred to the Auckland Water Polo Control Board,