Champion Swimmer Retires

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30677, 17 February 1965, Page 11

Champion Swimmer Retires

AFTER a short but brilliant career in which she was a New Zealand representative and record breaker, Miss L. D. Blackett has decided to retire from competitive swimming. In the space of three seasons the 16-year-old Christchurch girl built up an enviable record in junior breaststroke ranks and her loss to Canterbury, and New Zealand, will be sorely felt. But this summer she gave

preference to preparing for examinations: when these were finished the season was three months advanced and there was insufficient time to muster her resources for the important meetings in the latter part of the season. Then, too, she had had no groundwork to prepare her for major competition xso, wisely, she decided to retire. But she could not give up swimming altogether and she reached a satisfactory compromise by joining the water ballet group which was formed in Christchurch

last year. She was one of the girls whose deft movements and glittering costumes charmed a Centennial Pool audience at the Spreydon carnival on Saturday night. Laurel Blackett, a sixth former at Christchurch Girls’ High School this year, was a natural breaststroke swimmer who won five Canterbury junior titles in five attempts and whose records for 110yds and 220yds still stand. She was twice South Island 110yds junior champion, broke the national girls’ record for the same distance and represented New Zealand at the Australian junior championships last year at Adelaide, where she excelled herself by winning a bronze medal over 220yds. But a New Zealand title eluded her at the national championships at Blenheim, although she was the fastest qualifier at both distances. Both events were won by the Victorian girl, Leigh Kely, but Miss Blackett gained some measure of satisfaction by beating her Australian rival for third place in the senior 220yds championship.

Miss Blackett contributed much to the embellishment of swimming in Canterbury, particularly through' her series of thrilling scratch races against Misses M. Jones and C. Hopper last season. But she will be remembered chiefly for her sportsmanship, a bright disposition and a modesty that matched her swimming skill.