SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS Outstanding Victory By Miss Wright

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32215, 6 February 1970, Page 14

SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS Outstanding Victory By Miss Wright

Miss J. A. Wright had her finest win of the season when she beat the New Zealand junior record-holder, Miss C. J. Whiting, in the women’s 200 metres freestyle, in the first session of the Canterbury swimming championship finals at the Centennial Pool last evening.

Miss Whiting, previously unbeaten in the event this season, led for the first three lengths but Miss Wright came back in the last 20 metres from half a length behind to win by a touch. Her time of 2min 20.2 see was o.Bsec outside the Canterbury record held by Miss Whiting.

Miss Whiting showed no lapse in form. Her time of 2min 20.6 sec was another consistent effort which places her as the leading 200 metres swimmer in New Zealand, In spite of the loss.

For Miss Wright it was an excellent indication of newfound speed. Her previous best time was 2min 21.4 sec, set last season, and this season she has been concentrating on building up for longer distances.

Miss Whiting blamed her defeat on a slow first 100 metres (6.7 sec but it was her stamina which finally let her down. Miss Wright went through the 100 metres in 67.55ec.

SEVEN RECORDS Seven Canterbury records were set in the session, two equalled, and eight national championship qualifying times beaten. The large crowd was treated to several excellent races, but none excelled the boys* under 14, 400 metres freestyle. Can* terbury had five swimmers who have qualified in the national age group finals and the slowest. David Jones (Greymouth), brought the crowd to their feet for more than half the race by leading from start to finish and setting a Canter-

bury record which is also the fastest time recorded for the event in New Zealand. Jones, in an outside lane, had a two-length lead after the first 100 metres, but had it reduced to one length in the next 100 metres when it looked as though the favoured swimmers, Jimmy Carter, the record-holder, Tony Atkinson, and Roy Gray would overtake him. They swam stroke for stroke in the centre lanes while Jones’s lead became more slender. Over the last length. Carter, with a burst of speed, pulled ahead of the others and then eased off. It was not until the end of the race that Carter realised he had been beaten by Jones—and had also lost his record. Carter recorded 4min 56.45ec, his best time. Westport Success Of the other Canterbury records broken, the most notable was the performance of a Westport girl, Wendy Wakefield, who took 2.9 sec off the record of

47.65ec held by Miss Susan Hunter in the under 11 50 metres breaststroke. She was one of the best age group swimmers in the grade. Miss Hunter, who has qualified for 10 events in the finals, withdrew because of facial neuralgia. It began to occur during the last week and the pain was such that she had had to stop training. Her withdrawal made the evening much easier for her rival and clubmate, Miss Jayne Parkhouse, but it robbed the meeting of some interest because of her rapid improvement in recent weeks in medley swimming. G. S. Walker showed a welcome return to form after a lay-off in training because of an ear infection. He won the 100 metres freestyle in 57.95ec, O.lsec outside his own record, and was third in the 200 metres backstroke. However, he looked tired in the last length of the backstroke. He had held second place from Kindred comfortably until the last 40 metres and then fell back quickly to third. Brent Lewis, swimming in the under 16, 200 metres breaststroke, broke his under 14 record with a time of 2min 55.25ec, and won the title. Seven minutes later, he swam the same distance in the under 14 grade and won again, in 2min 59.45ec.

AUSTRALIAN WIN J. Tillson broke the men's 200 metres backstroke record by o.2sec with a time of 2min 30.5 sec, beating Kindred and [ Walker. Miss J. Hay lowered her own 200 metres breaststroke , mark in the junior girls’ sec- , tion, with 3min I.2sec. Lyn 1 , Rowe, in the girls’ under 12 backstroke, broke her own re- . cord of 2min 38.2<ec by 4.3 sec, ; but lost first place to the Australian, Miss Karen Hayes. Miss Hayes won three events I in the evening, two by sheer determination. In the 200 , metres breaststroke, she was a yard behind Miss Inez Thom- ’ son with 15 yards to swim, and after a quick look at her opponent quickened her stroke and raced away in the remaining distance. Miss Thomson broke her own record of 3min . 15.9 sec by o.ssec. : A. Atkinson equalled two re- ■ cords with his win in the under > 14 boys’ 100 metres butterfly, f His time was Imin 13.9 sec.