Swimming Titles Only For Select Few?

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31028, 6 April 1966, Page 18

Swimming Titles Only For Select Few?

Moves to make the national swimming championships a select meeting for competitors of advanced ability were introduced at a meeting of the council of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association last night.

On behalf of the championships committee, Mr M. R. Duckmanton recommended that qualifying times be tightened and the free entry dispensation be abolished.

The first of these recommendations will be discussed by the council; the second by the annual meeting of the association in October.

Qualifying times were introduced last season, but centres are permitted to enter one competitor in each event where they do not have a qualified swimmer. Making It Harder The committee wishes to do away with this loophole, at the same time making it harder for the better swimmers to take part in the national meeting.

Mr D. W. Cain (Auckland) said the abolition of the free entry dispensation would eliminate some centres from the championships. He felt, too, that centre selectors should have some prerogative in picking promising under-14 swimmers with an eye to the future, by the council.

Under present conditions there were two fields in each event at the national meeting—the qualifiers and the non-qualifiers—said the secretary (Mr E. H. Williams). He asserted that those who

were seconds outside the qualifying times for 110 yards events were “just going for the ride.” The chairman (Mr A. J. Donaldson) said the question should be tackled from the other direction. He felt there would have to be some amalgamation of centres for strengthening purposes before stiffer standards were set Records Approved Miss H. L. Kerr’s (Auckland) three record-breaking swims over 110 yards butterfly in the course of a month were ratified by the council. Her times were imin 12.4 sec. Imin 12.2 sec, and Imin 11.5 sec. Her 220 yards butterfly time of 2min 43.45ec was also approved. Other records ratified were: Men.—A. H. Seagar (Auckland), 220 yd medley, 2min 24.25ec. Women.—Miss M. M. Macrae (Auckland), 220 yd medley’, 2min 45sec. Boys.—Bay of Plenty team (P. McEwan, G. Hare, L. Curry, A. Gregory), 4 x 110 yd freestyle relay, 4min 10.9 sec. Girls.—Miss T. K. Shipston (Canterbury), 220 yd medley, 2min 45.65ec; Miss M. Cole-

berd (Wellington), 110 yd breaststroke. Imin 25.95ec; Miss G. Stirling (Auckland). 110 yd backstroke, Imin 14.3 sec.