INTEREST IN BREASTSTROKE

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30668, 6 February 1965, Page 13

INTEREST IN BREASTSTROKE

rpHE New Zealand swimming championships are only four weeks and a half away and in the major swimming capitals of the country the final sorting out of talent is taking place at centre title meetings.

But the ease with which the two young breaststroke swimmers, Barbara Jonas (Nelson) and Ivan Johnstone (Otago) broke national junior records in the South Island championships at the Centennial Pool last Saturday must have caused alarm and despondency among the many young North Island hopefuls in the midst of their preparations. Breaststroke is very much the glamour stroke in New Zealand swimming at present. The national selectors named the men’s and women’s champions, G. V. Ruzio-Saban and Miss V. J. Haddon, among their three Olympic nominations and now H. W. Graham is showing a return to the form that marked him out as an exceptionally gifted performer

two seasons ago. The juniors, too, have made their contributions to the breaststroke boom. An unusually high standard was achieved by the contenders for the national girls’ titles at Blenheim a year ago; it was an achievement to reach the finals.

Now Miss Jonas and Johnstone have quickened the interest in breaststroke by their deeds at the Centennial Pool. The Nelson girl’s 3min 2.7 sec for 220yds placed her in lonely splendour at the head of her class —and she confesses to having swum even faster in a short course pool. The beauty of it is that she is only fourteen and still a fledgeling as a competitive swimmer. If her present progress is maintained the world class times of Miss Haddon could be in danger. Johnstone, a pale, finelybuilt 15-year-old from Dunedin, was a national junior finalist last season, but no more than an average provincial swimmer. Since then he has improved his 220 yd

time by almost 15sec to soar into top class. And he, too, is still to reach his limit. William Brown, who created Canterbury breaststroke history last month by breaking all the centre records available to him, is the swimmer most likely to provide the spur for Johnstone’s next reduction in time. And in fulfilling this task, Brown, experienced campaigner that he is, might discover hidden reserves of speed and strength to carry him past his rival to a national title.