Chch Swimmer’s Time Was National Record

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31598, 8 February 1968, Page 13

Chch Swimmer’s Time Was National Record

Canterbury’s sole representative in the Dominion junior swimming team, Catherine Whiting, achieved the fastest quartermile freestyle time by a New Zealand under-14 girl during the Australian junior championships in Hobart at the week-end.

Competing in the final of the girls’ 440 yd event Miss Whiting recorded smin 9.2 sec, an improvement of B.4sec on her previous best time.

This effort would have been worth second place in last season’s New Zealand senior final. Miss Whiting, who returned to Christchurch yesterday, was full of admiration for the winner of the Australian 440 yd title, Karen Moras, who recorded an outstanding time of 4min 45.65ec.

The 14-year-old Miss Moras will be swimming in the international carnival in the

Centennial Pool on Saturday, and Miss Whiting will again be among her rivals. At Hobart, Miss Whiting swam in the three freestyle events, but the 440 yd was her only final. She recorded 2min

Miss Whiting said the trip, which included Sydney, Melbourne and other parts of Tasmania as well as Hobart, had been a “great experience.” Her attention will now be turned to the national championships in three weeks time.

Then, she said, she would knuckle down to hard work in preparation for her bid to gain selection in the New Zealand team for the 1970 Commonwealth Games.

30sec for 220 yd and Imin 7.7 sec for 110 yd .in the heats. In the 4 x 110 yd freestyle relay* however, she achieved an excellent Imin 6.lsec, which was more than Isec faster than her best.

In the face of strong Australian competition, the New Zealand team made a good showing. The Bay of Plenty girls, Karen Conway and Donna Mcßae, were gold medallists, Miss Conway winning both the one-metre and three-metre diving title and Miss Mcßae the 110 yd breaststroke in her best time of Imin 21.9sec—2sec better than the New Zealand junior record.

M. F. Toomey (110 yd butterfly) and B. Knowles (220 yd backstroke) won bronze medals, while Beth Williams gained two fourths in medley finals. Knowles's backstroke time of 2min 25.55ec broke the national boys’ record.