SWIMMERS IN FORM

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28766, 11 December 1958, Page 15

SWIMMERS IN FORM

One of Canterbury’s main hopes for the national senior swimming championships at Napier this year, Miss Anne Blair, of the Spreydon Club, gave an excellent display to take two Canterbury records at a recent carnival at the Centennial Pool. Miss Blair is a sister to Rab Blair, one of Canterbury's finest swimmers and surfers.

In the 220 yards freestyle, Miss Blair swam the distance in 2min So.Bsec to beat Miss O. Hobson's 1944 record of 2min Sl.Ssec, and in the 110 yards freestyle, beat Isobel Milne’s 1955 record of 75.8 sec by half a second. At the same carnival, 13-year-old Michael Hay shone as one of the province's outstanding juniors when in the 220 yards breaststroke he recorded 3min lO.Ssec. This time, although well short of the national record, represents an improvement of 12sec on the old provincial record. Wendy Dale, a young Wharenui swimmer, also laid her claims to distinction when she swam the 110 yards freestyle in 81.3 sec, which is .9sec faster than Lynn Harrow's old record.

For these times to be recorded so early in th? season raises hope that Canterbury may have a good chance of taking several titles at the national meetings early next year.