2 N.Z. Swimmers Beat Olympians For Titles

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30688, 2 March 1965, Page 15

2 N.Z. Swimmers Beat Olympians For Titles

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

HOBART, March 1.

New Zealand won two Australian swimming championships today in Hobart when A. Graham took the 220 yards breaststroke and D. Gerrard the 110 yards butterfly.

Both New Zealanders beat Australian Olympians. In the most thrilling race of the day, Graham beat the Olympic gold medallist, I. O’Brien, by a fifth of a second. At the end of the first 55yards lap, Graham was a yard behind O’Brien and P. Tonkin, another Olympian. This position was maintained during the second lap but reaching the final turn Graham had drawn almost level. With 25 yards to go, Graham was only inches be-

hind O’Brien and caught the Australians with only 10 yards to go. He finished more strongly to win narrowly but cleanly. In his heat this morning, Graham had won in 2:43.65ec. The other New Zealand competitors in the breaststroke heats, I. Johnstone, was third in his heat in 2:50.95ec and did not qualify for the final. Bold Finish Gerrard had a thrilling win over two members of the 1964 Australian Olympic team, JStark and B. Hill, in the 110 yards butterfly.

Gerrard and Hill had the fastest qualifying times in the heats with 62.5 seconds. Like Graham, Gerrard owed his win to a strong finish. The other New Zealand finalists today were Susan Woonton who swam sixth in the 220 yards freestyle in 2:24.75ec. The race was won by Kim Herford of New South Wales in 2:19.35ec. Miss Woonton swam 2:23.55ec in her heat for third. Barbara Jonas of New Zealand finished fourth in her heat of the 220 yards breaststroke and did not qualify for the final.