SWIMMING Five Records Broken, One Equalled At Naenae

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29744, 10 February 1962, Page 12

SWIMMING Five Records Broken, One Equalled At Naenae

(From Our Own Reporter)

NAENAE, February 9. The unrelenting grip which North Island swimmers have fastened on almost all the national swimming titles was vividly illustrated for Canterbury supporters at the Naenae Olympic Pool tonight. G. E. Dann, the provincial champion, matched his New Zealand record-breaking feat of last month in the final of the men’s 110 yards freestyle only to gain second place behind P. Hatch (Wellington) who set a new national mark of 59sec.

Hatch’s splendid effort capped a day of brilliant swimming in which five New Zealand records were broken and another equalled. Others who set fresh marks were Miss V. Haddon (Manawatu), women’s 220 yards breaststroke; D. F. Gerrard (Auckland), men’s 220 yards butterfly; R. Walker (Wellington, junior boys’ 220 yards freestyle; and Miss G. Dennis (Waikato), junior girls’ 220 yards medley. Miss J. Kennedy (Southland) equalled the junior girls' 110 yards backstroke figure. Auckland dominance of the championships increases with each session. Its team of 46 competitors has won 16 titles and has scored 153 points in the Freyberg Shield contest. Wellington (seven titles) has 60 points, and Waikato (five titles), 51 points. Canterbury, in fourth place with 32 points, has yet to win a title. Disappointment for Canterbury was the disqualification of Miss L. Cox, a national record-holder, in the junior girls’ 220 yards medley. She glided too deeply at the start of her breaststroke length and was disqualified for using two strokes oefore surfacing. At that stage she was leading. Miss Haddon’s remarkable feat of twice breaking three minutes for the women’s 220 yards breaststroke stamped the slender Palmerston North girl as a world class swimmer.

In both heat and final she was able to reach the elusive goal without the benefit of close competition. The Canterbury champion. Miss C. Hopper, reached the final and finished well up in the bunch for fifth plac?. Her times were comparable to her best Christchurch figures. By successfully repelling the challenges of Miss a.

Bell (Otago) and Mrs H. Rogers (Waikato) in the 110 yards event. Miss L. Moore (Wellington) repeated her feat of last season of gaining the triple crown for women’s freestyle.

In the first heat Mrs Rogers, who has made a successful return to competitive swimming, pressed Miss Moore close by the use of the dolphin kick in the second length. In the final, however, Miss Moore drew on her reserves and downed her rival with her best sprint performance.

Walker, who is idolised by the Wellington swimming public, played havoc with the national 220 yards freestyle record in his heat, clocking 2min 13.9 sec and breaking the long course record by 4.6 sec. He duly won the final—his second of the championships —in spite of a gallant finish by J. Palmer (Poverty BayHawke’s Bay),- who finished only one-tenth of a second behind the brilliant Walker. Equalled Record Although Miss Kennedy gained most of the limelight in the girls’ 110 yards backstroke with her recordequalling effort, the swimming of Miss W. Dale (Canterbury) deserved praise, for in both the heat and final she achieved her personal best times. Her inspired burst m the final earned her equal third place and a time of Imin 22.45ec, much faster than the Canterbury record. In the following results abbreviations used are: Ashburton (An.), Auckland (A.), Bay of Plenty IBP.), Canterbury (C.t. Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay (H.8.-P.B), Manawatu (M.). Nelson-Marlborough (N.M.), Otago (O.), South Canterbury (S.C.). Southland (S). Taranaki (T.l. Waikato (Wk ), Wairarapa (Wp.). Wanganui (Wg.). Wellington (W.). West Coast (W.C.). Women 220 Yards Breaststroke.—(N.Z. record 3:0.2. V. Haddon. Manawatu Title-holder, K. Sawyers, Auckland). First Heat: V. Haddon (M.), 2:59k, 1 (new record): C. Hopper (C.) 2. V. Murphy (Wp.) 3. Second Heat: R. Dunlop (O.>. 3:13.4. 1; J. Semple (A.), 2; L. Baker (S). 3. Qualifiers: V. Murphy (Wp.), C. Hopper (C.), V. Haddon (M.). J. Semple (A.). L. Baker (S.l. M. Cooper (A.), R. Dunlop (O.). Final.—Haddon. 2:59.9, 1; Dunlop. 3:8.5. 2: Semple, 3:15.1. 3. 110 Yards Freestyle (N.Z. record for 100 yards. 1:5. Titleholder. L. Moore, Wellington First Heat: L. Moore (W), 1:8.7, 1: H. Rodgers (Wk.). 2; V. McVicar (A.), 3. Second Heat: L. Wise (Wk.). 1:11, 1; J. James (Wg.) 2. J, Clarke (C.) 3. Third Heat: A. Bell (O.). 1:8.8, 1: S. Thomson <Wg.) 2, J. Ray (W.C.) 3. Qualifiers: J. Clarke (C.). L. Wise (Wk.).

H. Rodgers (Wk.), L. Moore (W.). A. Bell (O-). S. Thomson (Wg.), J. James (Wg.). Final.—Moore. 1:7.5, 1; Bell, I. 2; Rodgers. 1:10.1. 3. 440 Yards Medley Relay

Final.—Auckland A. 5:21.0, 1: Auckland B, 5:29.3. 2: Southland. 5:38.5, 3. Junior Girls 110 Yards Backstroke (N.Z. record, 1:18.2, M. Macßae Auckland. Title-holder. 100 Yards, M Macßae, Auckland.)

First Heat: J. Kennedy (S.l, 1:18.8, 1; J. Ware (A.) 2, W. Dale (C.) 3. Second Heat: J. Halsey (Wk ). 1:24, 1: R. Waters (N.M.) 2, M. McCall (Wk.) 3. Qualifiers: S. West (N.M.), J. Halsey (Wk ), W. Dale (C-). J Kennedy (S.), J. Dare (A.), M. Miles (A.), R. Waters (N.M.) Final.—Kennedy. 1:18.2. 1; Dare, 1:19.8, 2; bale. 1:22.4, and Miles. 1:22.5. 3 (equalled N.Z. record).

220 Yards Medley (N.Z. record. 3:6.3, L. Cox. Canterbury. Titleholder, 133 1-3 yards, G. Dennis. Waikato).

First Heat: G. Dennis (Wk.). 2:56, 1 (new record), 1: L. Cox (C.) 2 (disqualified). R. Johnson (S.) 3. N. Greville (W.) 4. Second Heat: J. Durand (H.8.-i P. 8.), 3:4.8, 1: S. Watson (Wk.) 2, J. Head (W.) 3. Qualifiers: J. Head (W.). S. Watson (Wk.). J. Dare (A.), G. Dennis (Wk.).. J. Durand (H.8.-P.8.), R, Johnston (S.). N. Greville (W.). Final.—Dennis. 2:580, 1; Durand, 3:3.9, 2; Dare, 3:7.5. 3. Junior Boys 110 Yards Breaststroke (N.Z. record. 1:21.6, G. Ruzio-Saban. Auckland. Title-holder, 100 yards. G. Ruzio-Saban. Auckland.) First Heat: G. Ruzio-Saban (A.). 1:21.9. 1: R. McEwan (W.) 2, W. Brown (W.C.) 3. Second Heat: W. Jackson (A ), 1:259. 1; J. Hay (C.) 2, M. Fox (O ) 3. Qualifiers: W. Brown (W.C.). R. MeEwan (W.), J. Hay (C.). G. Ruzio-Saban (A.). W. Jackson (A), M. Fox (O). J. Eager (T.). Final.—Ruzio-Saban. 1:23.6, 1: Jackson. 1:262. 2: Fox. 1:26.5. 3 220 Yards Freestyle (N.Z. record, 2:18.5. R. Taylor, Auckland Title-holder, R. Taylor. Auckland.) First Heat: M. Gould (C .). 2: 28.7. 1; M. Kirby (Wk.) 2. K Gracie (M.) 3. Second Heat: R. Walker (W). 2:139, 1 (new record): J. Palmer 1H.8.-PBI 2, R. Gibbons (NM.) 3. Third heat: L. Michalski iWf.), 2:25 2. 1; F. Bell (M.) 2, M. Grant (BP.) 3. Qualifiers: M. Kirbv (Wk ). A. Quail (A ). L. Michalski (Wg.). R. Walker (W ). J Palmer (H.B-P.B). R. Gibbons (N.M.). F. Bell (M). Final.—Walker. 2:152. 1; Palmer, 2:152, 2; Michalski. 2:242. 3. 118 Yards Butterfly Final.—B. Clarke (A ). 1:139, 1: G. Ruzio-Saban (A.). 1:16.9, 2: G. Garlick (8.P.). 1:17.4. 3. Men 110 Yards Freestyle Final.—P. Hatch (W ), 59 0. 1; G. Dann (C.). 59.5. 2; C. Thomson (WG). 1:1.1, 3 (N.Z. record). 220 Yards Butterfly Final.—D. Gerrard (A.), 2:26.4. 1; B. Crowther (W). 2:29.6. 2; O. Elwarth (A.). 2:322, 3 (N.Z. record).