SWIMMING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 301, 22 December 1923, Page 8 (Supplement)

SWIMMING.

Although beaten hy Miss C. M. Jeans for the women's 220 yds swimming championship of England, Miss Hilda James demonstrated that she has a good claim to the title of England champion mermaid when she lowered the English and world's records for the distance. The English record stood at 2min 51 2-ssec, and the world's record at 2min 47 3-5 sec. After Miss James' effort they each stand at 2min 46 3-5-ec. MALCOLM CHAMPION. He was we named, for no Ne Zealand swimnu won more honoui or held more chati pionships than Ma eolm Champion who, in his heyday, was tlie finest swimmer ir New Zealand : practically all di tances. Strong, "^S powerful, and more at home in the water than on land, he put up many records in the precrawl days and held his end up against the stiffest opposition. He represented New Zealand at the Stockholm Olympiad, and frequently swam with success against Australia's best. Now bathkeeper at the Tepid tank, his advice is freely sought and readily given by the aspirants for the titles he so long held. Two great performances over 400 yds were registered at Sydney recently by Christie and Andrew Charlton. These champions should provide formidable opposition to Arne Borg, the great Swedish swimmer, who is now on his way to Sydney. Conditions were ideal at the Spit baths for Christie'- exhibition 6wim (states a Sydney writer). The quarter-mile Australian champion was in rare form. He moved along with a delightful stroke, and appears' to be much improved on last year's splendid fenn. His time, 4min 57sec (and one watch made it 4min 55sec), is faster than that recorded by the late Barney Keiran in 1905 at Kose Bay—viz., 4min 58 2-ssee. As Christie was unpaced, and swam well within himself, it is reasonable to expect a "big reduction in this time when pressed. Charlton swam at Manly. The bathe were exposed to the full sweep of a strong wind. The water was rough, and the going against the swell was very heavy; consequently Charlton's swim over the 400 yds in smin C 2-ssec was a fine one, and proves that the young champion is recovering hia best form.

Probably the greatest performance by a New Zealander in the history of swimming was that of C. Herd, the Christchurch boy breast stroke swimmer, at the opening gala of the season held in Christchurch on November 9, states an exchange. Herd, who is only 18 years of age, competed in a 220 yards handicap against free-style swimmers with a start of 28see. He won his heat in 3min 5 3-ssec, and the final in 3min ssec, actual time. Both performances are better than C. Atkinson's Dominion record of 3min 7sec. As Herd i_ bound to progress with constant and careful training one is justified in expecting him to beat 3min for the furlong swim in the near future. Some idea of Herd's phenomenal speed can be gained by comparing it with the exploits of oversea champions. Sousaari won the Australian breaststroke championship in 3miu lO.sec in February. Still more meritorious is the swim when it is known that last month W. Kirsehbaum, of Honolulu, competing in the Hawaiian championships, eet a new American breast-stroke record for 200 metres (218.72 yards) in 3min 7 1-5 sec, and defeated Sam KahanamOku, brother of Duke. The brilliance of the Christchurch boy's feat, eclipsing as it does the best efforts of oversea experts, should earn for him a trip to the Olympic Games in 1924, for never before have we had such prospects of annexing a world title.

XV. McDevitt is on hand from Sydney to scull J. P. Hannan, of Blenheim, on the upper harbour next month for the Australasian championship. McDevitt is a heftily-built man of 12st 21b, and has a tine reach. His work on the harbour proves him to have a sound knowledge of tho principles of sculling, and he should give Hannan a good go for it. He has beaten Short, Kemp, Casey and Petersen, while he gave Paddon the hardest race of his championship career.