Miss Haddon Close To World Record Swim

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31135, 11 August 1966, Page 20

Miss Haddon Close To World Record Swim

especial Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) KINGSTON. New Zealand’s hopes of winning a swimming gold medal were greatly boosted yesterday when Miss V. J. Haddon came within half-a-second of the world record when winning her heat in the 110 yards breaststroke.

But her time of Imin 19.7 sec broke the games record set in Perth by Miss A Lonsbrough, by I.6sec.

I It was Miss Haddon's great- , est performance over this dis- ; tance and led the eight qualifiers into the final. I In her heat Miss Haddon defeated the English girls. Misses J. Slattery and S. Mitchell, who had beaten her into third place in the 220 yards breaststroke final on Saturday. Strong Challenger ; In the other heat Miss D. Harris, of England, was only i 2sec behind Miss Haddon's time, and she has an unratified time equalling the world 'mark of Miss K. Beyer (Ger- ; many). Miss Haddon's heat was a I tremendously exciting race ; which brought the large crowd to its feet. The New Zealand girl and Misses Slattery and Mitchell covered the first lap stroke for stroke, with Miss Haddon slightly ahead at the turn, in 37sec. Coming home. Miss Haddon really applied the pressure and finally edged into the lead with 10 yards remaining and hung on grimly until the end. Miss Haddon’s previous best time for the distance was Imin 20.8 sec. recorded in a timetrial here last week.' while her New Zealand record stands at Imin 20.6 sec. She was second in the 110 yards event at Perth to Miss A.: lonsbrough. The final will be swum on Thursday. New Zealand was unable to I gain a medal in any of the'

three finals in which its swimmers participated yesterday. H. G. Brown finished fifth in the men’s 220 yards backstroke, only a second behind the third place-getter, K. Byrom, of Australia, but 7.Bsec behind the winner. P. Reynolds, also of Australia, set a new world mark of 2min 12sec, bettering his own time by I.ssec, winning the gold medal. P. O’Carroll and A. Seagar, New Zealand’s other two finalists in this event, finished sixth and eighth, respectively, with times of 2min 20.9 sec and 2min 25.1 sec. In the women’s 220 yards butterfly final, Miss H. Kerr had to be content with a fourth. She tried hard for the bronze medal and it was only in the final lap that Miss A. Barner, of England, drew away to take third place in 2min 35sec. Miss Kerr’s time was 2min 36.45ec. The winner of the gold medal, Miss E. Tanner, of Canada, broke the world record held by the American, Miss S. Pitt, by Isec, covering the distance in 2min 29.95ec. Miss M. M. Macrae found the pace too hot in the women’s 110 yards backstroke and could do no better than seventh with a time of Imin 13.8 sec against Miss A. Ludgrove's gold medal-winning Imin 9.2 sec. In the women's 440 yards medley. New Zealand had a hit and a miss. Miss Macrae, fourth in her heat just made the final with a time of smin 44.25ec but the 14-year-old Canterbury girl, Miss T. K. Shipston, was eliminated. The winner of Miss ShipsUm’s heat, Miss J. Murphy, of

Australia, broke the games record of smin 38.6 sec set by Miss A. Lonsbrough in Perth, wit ha time of smin 36sec. But this was beaten in the next heat when Miss S. Williams (England) clocked smin 35.75ec.