SWIMMING SPRINT EVENTS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26031, 7 February 1950, Page 6

SWIMMING SPRINT EVENTS

Australia And Canada Gain Wins THREE RECORDS BROKEN From Our Own Reporter AUCKLAND. February 6. Features of the second session of the swimming section of the British Empire Games at the Olympic Pool tonight were the success of the Canadian and Australian swimmers, P. Salmon and Miss Marjorie McQuade, in the men’s and women’s sprints, and the brilliant performance of the young Otago backstroke swimmer. Miss Jean Stewart, in establishing a new Empire Games record in the 110 yards backstroke. Her timb of Imin 18.6 sec in winning her heat bettered the existing record by 9-10ths of a second. Canada’s remarkable sequence of wins in the men’s sprints was continued when before a crowd of about 5000 Peter Salmon won the 110 yards freestyle title. None of the swimmers succeeded in bettering the minute. but the times were an improvement on those in the heats and Salmon won in Imin o.4sec, after staving off the spirited challenge of the Australian. F. T. O’Neill. P. H. Kendall, of England, made a gallant effort in the closing stages to overhaul the leaders, and was only two-fifths of a second slower than the winner in taking third place. The young Aucklander, Michael Amos, swam well enough, though he finished only sixth, but he faded in the last lap and was clocked at Imin 2.ssec. Second Record Broken When she won the 110 yards women’s freestyle in Imin 9sec, Miss Marjorie McQuade, the Victorian schoolgirl, broke the second record of the evening, but not without a great tussle with the English swimmer. Miss Margaret Wellington, who finished only threefifths of a second behind the winner. The South African girl. Miss Joan Harrison, did n<n swim quite up to her usual form, but still finished third in Imin 10.7 sec. Miss Winifred Griffin, the New Zealand junior champion, did not reproduce her form of Saturday night, and had to be content with sixth place. All the competitors in the men’s 220 yards breaststroke championship employed the butterfly stroke, and the feature of the race was the brilliant promise displayed by the 14-year-old Sydney high school boy, Ron Sharpe, whose winning time of 2min 53sec in the first heat was the fastest of the race. Ray Romain, the 1947 European champion and English Olympic swimmer, won the second heat in 2min 57.65ec, but on the form shown to-night Sharpe, who has had a phenomenal rise in competitive swimming, must be very hard to beat in the final. The final of the 1650 yards freestyle gave South Africa its first success in Empire Games swimming, G. M. Johnston leading all the way to win by 20 yards in 19m in 55.75ec. which was 9.3 sec slower than the Empire Games record, established by Bob Leivers. of England, at Sydney. The youthful Canadian swimmer, J. Portelance. had a great tussle with the New Zealand champion. F. R. Lucas, for second place and just managed to get there with about four yards to spare. Further honours came the way of Australia in the 330 yards women’s medley relay in which it not only gained first place, but established a new Empire Games record of 3min 53.8 sec, which was 3.9 sec faster than the figures established by England in 1938. The New Zealaftd team did not finish because the breaststroke swimmer. Miss Margaret Sweeney, was disqualified by the faulty leg movement which gained her disqualification in the New Zealand championships a few weeks ago. The only other disqualification of the evening was that of the Australian Olympic swimmer. K. Hallett. in his heat of the 220 yards breaststroke also for a faulty leg movement. The 1650 yards final resolved into a battle between Johnston (South .Africa), Lucas (New Zealand). Portelance (Canaada). and D. Bland (England). Johnston went into the lead in the first lap. but at the 220 yards. Lucas had drawn level. Johnston gained on the turn, and at the twelfth lap he led by three yards. Bland was a foot ahead of Lucas. Portelance being two yards back with Colin Chambers (New Zealand) a lap behind. Over the latter stages of the race. Johnston forged ahead and Lucas. Bland, and Portelance were having a keen tussle for the minor placings. Johnston finished i strongly to win by 20 yards. 16-Year-Old Girl Wins Title I The 16-year-old Australian Olympic swimmer. Miss Marjorie McQuade, who is i the youngest woman ever to w'in the Aus- i tralian women's freestyle sprint title, re- i tained for her country the 110 yards free- ; style title, won by Evelyn de Lacy at the last Empire Games. 1.. doing so she I established the second Empire Games record of the night when she was timed in j 69sec, bettering the new record she set > on Saturday night, and beating the former : Empire Games record by l.lsec. The 14- j year-old South African. Joan Harrison. j was early prominent, and at the end of : the first lap sh* and the Queensland champion and Olympic representative. . Miss Denise Spencer, were together with J Misses McQuade. Norma Bridson (New Zealand), and Margaret Wellington, the English Olympic swimmer coming up' fast. Turning for home, however. Miss i McQuade cracked on the pace, and Miss 1 Bridson was also moving up fast ‘ over the last half-lap. Miss Wellington challenged strongly to be beaten by a foot. Misses Spencer and Harrison had a great tussle, and both were timed at Imin 10.7*ec. but Miss Harrison was placed third, a yard behind Miss Wellington. The two New Zealanders. Misses Bridson and W. Griffin finished fifth and sixth. Miss Griffin swimming nearly two seconds slower than sh-* did on Saturday night. There was much interest in the 330 yards medley relay for three of the finalists in the women s 110 yards backstroke swam the first leg. They were Misses Helen Yate (England). Judy Joy Davies (Australia), and Jean Stewart (New Zealand). and in a thrilling tussle Miss Davies touched fir»t. a foot ahead of Miss Yate. with Mias Stewart a similar distance back. In the breaststroke leg. Australia in- ■ creased Its lead to five yards. It was in thia leg that Miss Margaret Sweeney, the New Zealand swimmer, was disqualified. Australia held the advantage in the last l*f and won by five yards from England, with Scotland three yards back third. Results were:— 110 YARDS BREASTSTROKE (Six fastest qualify for final) First Heat.—R Sharpe (Australia), 2min Msec. 1; D. Hawkins (Aust.), 2min 56.8

sec. 2; J. Shanahan (New Zealand), 2min ’ 57.45ec. 3; C. Callan (New Zealand). 3min s.7sec. 4. Second Heat.—R. Romain (England). 2min 57.65ec. 1; T. Eagle (New Zealand). ' 3min I.4sec. 2. The other starter, F. Hallett (Austrat Ila), was disqualified. j 110 YARDS WOMEN S BACKSTROKE (Six fastest times qualify) First Heat.—J. Stewart (N.Z ). 78.6 sec, 1; : P. Seymour (Aust ), 82.4 sec. 2. The winner’s time beats the Empire Games record. Second Heat.—Davies (Aust.), 79.95ec. 1: H. Yate <Eng.i. 80.4 sec, 2: J. Hoole < Aust J. 80.8 sec. 3; M. Girvan (Scotland) 83.2 sec. 4. 110 YARDS MEN’S FREESTYLE FINAL P. Salmen (Canada). 60.4 sec ..1 F. O’Neill (Aust ). 60.6 sec ..2 P. Kendall (Eng.*. 61.8 sec .. 3 L. Beaumont (Canada). 62.35ec .. 4 J. Wild (South Africa). 62.45ec .. 5 M. Amos (N.Z.). 62.55ec ..6 110 YARDS WOMEN S FREESTYLE FINAL M. McQuade (Aust.), 69sec (breaking Empire Games record) 1 M. Wellington (Eng ), 69.65ec 2 J- Harrison (South Africa). 70.7 sec 5 D. Spencer (Aust ). 70.7 sec 4 N. Bridson (N.Z.). 71.2 sec ..5 W. Griffin (N.Z.). 71.9 sec ..6 1650 YARDS MEN’S FREESTYLE FINAL G. Johnson (South Africa). 19min 55.7 sec 1 J. Portelance (Canada). 20min B.3sec 2 F. Lucas (N.Z.). 20min 10.1 sec 3 D. Bland (Eng.). 20min 18.5 sec 4 B Kellaway (Aust ). 20min 35.25ec . 5 C. Chambers (N.Z.) 21min 45.35ec 6 330 YARDS. WOMEN S MEDLEY RELAY Australia (Davies. Lyons. McQuade). 3min 53.8 sec (breaks Empire Games record) 1 England (Yate. Church. Wellington). 3min 56.65ec . 2 Scotland (Girvan Gordon. Turner). 3min 58.9 sec 3 Canada (Morgan. Strong, McNimee). 4min s.ssec .. .. ..4