SEMI-FINALS OF SWIMMING

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28130, 20 November 1956, Page 16

SEMI-FINALS OF SWIMMING

SIX EVENTS TO BE CANCELLED (N.Z. Press Association-Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Nov. 19. Officials have been forced to cancel six Olympic semi-final swimming races because of lack of entries. They are the semi-finals of the men’s and women’s butterfly, men’s and women’s breaststroke and men’s and women’s backstroke. The number of countries entered for the swimming dropped from 47 in Helsinki in 1952 to 38. Mr W. B. Phillips, who is in charge of arrangements at the Olympic Pool, said he had made arrangements for synchronised swimming and a diving display to “fill in.” “Entries just did not come up to expectations,” Mr Phillips said. “This could be put down to two things—the international situation and the very high standard of Australian swimming.” New Zealand’s representatives in the women’s 100 and 200 metres freestyle events, Marrion Roe and Winiirid Griffin, will soon know how it feels to swim against a world record holder. In the swimming draw Miss Griffin is to swim against Australia’s “wonder girl,” Lorraine Crapp* in the first heat of the 100 metres, and Miss Roe against Miss Crapp in the fourth and final heat of the 200 metres. Miss Jean Stewart, third in the 100 metres event at Helsinki four years ago, has been drawn into the second heat of the event this time, and the 15-year-old Miss Phillipa Gould is included in the seven who will swim in the third and final heat. With the withdrawal of the Netherlands team, which included some of the world’s best women backstroke swimmers, both Miss Stewart and Miss Gould could be prominent in the event if they can reach their best form on the day. The men’s 100 metres and 400 metres freestyle events have attracted the largest entries. In the 100 metres there will be 35 swimmers and in the 400 metres 37. Both in the men’s and women’s events, competitors advance to the semi-finals and finals on the basis of times rather than placings. Two rounds will be necessary in the following- events to decide the eight finalists: women’s 100 metres freestyle, women’s 400 metres freestyle, and the men’s 100 metres backstroke, 100 metres freestyle and 400 metres • freestyle. In the following events, only one preliminary round will be necessary to determine the finalists: women’s 200 metres breaststroke, 100 metres backstroke, and 100 metres butterflystroke. and the men’s 200 metres butterfly stroke, 200 metres breaststroke, and the men’s and women’s relays. The numbers taking part in the diving events will be: women’s springboard, 18; women’s high board, 19; men’s springboard, 24; men’s high board, 24.