A RECORD BREAKER.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 24, 28 January 1911, Page 9

A RECORD BREAKER.

% E. CHAMPION'S FINE SWIMt

HAJ/F-MILB RECORD ESTABLISHED. In. M. B. Champion, Auckland and ..New; Zealand, too, possess a swimmer of no mean calibre. He fias smashed. New Zealand records fn turn," most of them - previously established by himself.' it Is some years since he came to the fore as a swimmer, yet he seems now to be in better form than ever. ' In fact, he might be regarded as in his prime, and it eeems a pity that he did not take part in the recent Australasian championships, lor his times for the longer distances compare more tfian favourably with the best "swimmers at that meeting.. That he did. not '.compete is due to. the,.fact, that Ifcw Zealand'is , no" longer federaijed with the Australian Association; but the' Auckland" centie' will do its utmost to bring, about' '&■ reconciliation before-* it is to be .hoped, Champion has lost hla dashHe Is admittedly the foremost swimmee in New Zealand' to-day, and."it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that he may. still further" raise the'standard New Zealand times for championship distances at the (forthcoming meeting to, be held" In Wellington V~week~frence. . During the present season .Champion has put up his most noteworthy performances, hut last night at the Albert-street baths he excelled himself In his successful attempt to lower Healy's New Zealand record for the halfcmlle. He .was paced in his effort, but it seenu>d-that ne. -could haye done better thaiine" did. «na It is certain -fha.t with Competition to •Bpnfv hint.- on > hie time" tvaali" have been considerably Improved. ' ■-->. - JSThen. Malcolm Champion made his appearance he was greeted with" rounds of applause: With shot he was off the; mark, but hardly as quicker, as its-pace-maker, J. D.,Stewart Despite the fact that he had 24 lengths to goV Champion clapped on the pace, and at the second tiirii stewart lost, ground.' Atnext turn ChamBion had, hUv. pace-maker.;well -'.in ,;hand, and Stewart had dropped back a couple of yards or more. "On the completion of *he- next length Champion had increased his .lead. . .Stewart, tired,, end. when the 2SSS. '?P> ,<£- donMe length- was completed Champion had a lead "of at" least,"half a bath's length. Stewart retired, and the runnlng'was taken;''»p by Hogan. ."Champion rwas. now ewimming- a slower stroke,-and Hogan was enabled to head him by a' few ,3*xds for several -lengths; "When "'Hogan retired, Maddigan' took his place;' and at this stage it was noted that Champion,matin a very slow torn, a. fact which was no'ticeeble in subsequent turns.*'"ln this pacing also Champion was over a body .length behind. At the sixteenth bath length Champion's time was 7m 155,- , at :the sev«nteenta 7m 455, and at the eighteenth 9m 60s. Wileon took np the running at the nineteenth, and took Champion along easily. "At the twentletli length Champion'e-time-was Om 45f, and-tones, ran'high-, that, fie would touch 12m for the distance. The next two lengths were passed at" 10m Gps"; and'rthen with about 100 yards to go Champion made a. magnificent spurt, fully extending a fresn pace-maker, with whom he finished about level.- One watch-clicked his time a 542111 ,7 but.the .official time; was declared ;as 12m- Bs. The announcement that Champion had lowered the'recprd was received wfth tiinjultttoue applause. In : aiiiuwnclnK ithe fact Mr. J. J.- atulvlhlll, eecretary and treasurer-of Jtihe. club,._«tateu-that Champion'e time was 33 seconds faster than' X.-" Healjra New Zealand 'record'" of ISql'-Mls, and It was equal to about, a 40.yards,better swim than Healy's half-mile swim in the Auckland Graying pock last year. ■Champkm's time for the last half mile was eleven seconds faster-.than" that In which the xecent Australian championship was won by -Hard. 'wlcfc.;(l2m l»s), though the late B: B. Kleran's Australasian record of "lihv" lie sflilt stood. At the last gala Champion put up a NevZealftiid mile,»rficprd.oi 25m 19s, which- 'was a considerable improvement, on IXng^<£tth'r , tlin-erotr2sm'*^Ts': , ldr"th'e" : *ame distance at the recent AustraUcn championship meeting.-At this distance also Kie. iecord~ (23m 16 tss) still stands. . » . . - .. .