Bronze Medal Won By Miss V. Haddon

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29989, 26 November 1962, Page 9

Bronze Medal Won By Miss V. Haddon

(Special Correspondent N.Z.PA.) PERTH, November 25. Two world records, four games records and a games record equalled in seven events was the score at the second swimming session of the Empire Games at Perth on Saturday night.

For New Zealanders the night was further highlighted by the bronze medal which went to Miss Vivien Haddon, of Manawatu, who swam third in the women’s 220 yards breast* stroke final.

Australia’s Dawn Fraser completed one of the most amazing months in world swimming when for the fiftli time in five swims she broke one minute for the 110 yards freestyle event. She won in 59.65ec, three-tenths of a second better than her world record at present awaiting ratification. It took her tally of world record performances to 30. The other world record of the session was set by England’s Miss Anita Lonsbrough in the final of the women’s 220 yards breaststroke, the event in which Miss Haddon was placed third. Miss Lonsbrough. who won the event at Cardiff in 1958, was four-tenths of a second inside her old world mark at 2min 51.8 sec. Those to set new games records were Miss Linda Ludgrove, of England, who won the 110 yards women's backstroke in Imin llsec—only one-tenth of a second outside her own world record —Australia's lan O’Brien, who towered the 220 yards breaststroke time by 3.ssec to 2min 38.1 sec; John Carroll, of Australia, who won his heat of the 220 yards backstroke in 2min 22.65ec, and Kevin Berry, of Australia, who won the 110 yards butterfly title in 59.6 seconds. The last two events were included in- the games programme for the first time. A 17-year-old pupil at Palmerston North’s Freyberg High School, Miss Haddon gave up the chance of sitting the University Entrance Examinotoon this year by training for the games. She is returning to school next year. She hopes to become a school teacher. Asked what it was like to take part in a world record swim. Miss Haddon said: “It was thrill, of course, but during it I was not bothering about the time. I was trying to win and treated it just like any other race.” Swimming oompetitively tor only two years die is the holder of the New Zealand and Australian championships over 110 and 220 yards.

Silver medal winner in the event and "personality’’ of swimming was Miss Jackie Enfield, aged 15, a tiny girl. She pushed the winner all the way except for the last 20 yards, when Miss Lonsbrough pulled ahead.

For the first time in Empire or Olympic Games since 1954 Australia failed to produce the winner of the men's 110 yards freestyle. There were three Australians in the race but the best they could do was third. The winner was th- Canadian Dick Pound, who will be swimming in New Zealand in little more than a week. His time of 55.95 cc equalled the games record. New Zealand's Miss Margaret Macrae who startled the Australian swimming world earlier this year by winning the Australian 110 yards backstroke championship had a struggle in the second heat of her event. She managed to qualify for the final to be swum on Tuesday afternoon. Hers was the slowest qualifying time—lmin 15sec as against the fastest’s of Imin llsec. The Auckland backstroker. Bruce Robertson, swam a

well-judged race in his heat of the men's 220 yards backstroke. finishing second to A. Fmgieton. of Australia, in the third fastest qualifying time. The heat developed into a two-way contest between the Australian and Robertson. The young Aucklander did not over-exert himself in -the latter stages when Fingleton drew ahead but appeared to have plenty in reserve. He looks a certain prospect foe either the silver or bronze medal. The other New Zealander swimming. D. F. Gerrard, finished sixth in the final of the 110 yards butterfly in the same time —63.55 e the fifth swimmer home. The time of the winner. Berry, of Australia, was 59.65ec. Best swimming of the night was in the final of the women's 110 yards freestyle. Dawn Fraser, swimming at a speed that few New Zealand male swimmers could match, cleared out from the field early. There was a battle for the minor platings, second going to Fraser's teammate, R. Thorn, and third place to Canada's Miss Mary Stewart. the holder of the world's women's butterfly record.