In The Swim

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31480, 21 September 1967, Page 15

In The Swim

The most encouraging news for New Zealand swimming, with a fresh season just round the corner, is that D. F. Gerrard intends to make a full-scale bid for inclusion in the Olympic Games team for Mexico City.

The country's most distinguished swimmer could well have decided to call a halt to a career that has brought him a Commonwealth Games gold medal, an Australian and 13 New Zealand senior titles, a host of records and two “Swimmer of the Year” awards. He has his work in the field of physiotherapy unfolding before him; he is living in Ashburton, away from his coach and the training facilities to which he is accustomed; and in a little over six months he is to be married.

These factors could have persuaded Gerrard to slip out of championship swimming. But with the encouragement of his good performances at Kingston and with the backing of his fiancee, Miss Bar-

bara McLean, an Invercargill girl who is teaching in Christchurch, he has decided to continue.

The Commonwealth Games in Kingston were to be his last fling in big competition. J “But after my efforts there 1; thought ‘there is life left in me yet” Having built up to a climax fo. Kingston, Gerrard let himself down gently last season. He had his first summer holiday for many years, and, although not at his usual high pitch of fitness, he retained his two butterfly titles and won the national surf race championship. For the first time in his 13 years of competition, Gerrard did not have regular swimming during the winter. After a recent swim in Christchurch his swimming muscles were feeling the strain, but the response from his heart and lungs was good. With his backlog of hard training, three short, sharp work-outs a day in the 25-yard pool at Ashburton Hospital and week-end swimming in Christchurch, he should be back to his best form by the peak of the season.