SWIMMING RECORDS TUMBLE

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30569, 12 October 1964, Page 14

SWIMMING RECORDS TUMBLE

(N.Z.P.A .-Reuter—Copyright)

TOKYO, October 11. Olympic swimmers gave the 1964 Games a record-breaking send-off in Tokyo’s futuristic national gymnasium today. Six swimmers bettered the old mark in the men’s 100 metres freestyle—the blue riband of the swimming events. Then the Olympic record also fell in the heats of the women’s 200 metres breaststroke.

Competition in 11 Olympic sports began today but the main interest centred on the swimming—one of the two main “glamour” sports. The other, athletics, does not begin until Wednesday. G. Ilman, a 21-year-old Californian, gave the swimming programme a great send-off by winning the first heat of the men’s 100 metres freestyle in 54sec. His winning time proved to be the fastest of the nine heats and lopped I.2sec off the previous Olympic record set by the Australian, J. Devitt, In winning the controversial final in Rome. D. Schollander, another American, had the next fastest time in the freestyle heats with 54.35ec. Then came R. McGregor, Britain’s world 110 yards record holder, with 54.7 sec. The fastest 24 out of an entry of more than 60 qualified for this afternoon’s semi-finals.

■ breaststroke in heading the • eight qualifiers for tomor- • row’s final. 1 The previous record of ■ 2:49.5 was held by Miss A. . Lonsbrough, of Britain, the . gold medallist in Rome. > Three other girls were inside Miss Lonsbrough’s time ■ including the world record : holder, Miss G. Prozumenhii kova, the Russian favourite ; for the gold medal this time.

The world 100 metres freestyle record-holder, A. Gottvalles, of France, was surprisingly beaten into second place in his heat by an 18-year-old Canadian, D. Sherry. Both were clocked at 55.25ec. Gottvalles’ world mark is 52.95ec. Miss Svetlana Babvina, a 21-year-old Russian student, set an Olympic record of 2:48.3 for the women’s 200 metres