Disappointing times by women swimmers

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32566, 27 March 1971, Page 14

Disappointing times by women swimmers

TT is recognised that 1 women’s swimming in New Zealand is in a much stronger position than the men’s, but after the national championships at Palmerston North last month there are some doubts as to whether the strength is increasing or remaining static.

Only two national records fell in women’s events and although it would have been optimistic to expect many more, the national selectors probably hoped for more encouraging times in the remaining events. Miss C. J. Whiting lowered her 100 metres butter-

fly record by 0.1 sec to Imin 7.3 sec in a heat, but she could not manage to reduce it further in the final, probably because she had no strong opposition. She finished ssec ahead of the second place-getter in Imin 7.ssec. Miss J. Parkhouse’s record was attained in more startling fashion. She became the first New Zealand girl to break 19 minutes for 1500 metres freestyle, bettering the old record held by Miss J. A. Wright by 12.5 sec. Her new time was 18min 5.1.65ec,

which was almost 20sec slower than the twentyfifth best in the world last year. But her times should improve considerably next season. A gratifying feature of the 800 and 1500 metres freestyle events was the performance of two young Canterbury' girls, Judith Tomlinson, aged 13, and Lyn Rowe, aged 12. Miss Tomlinson is already swimming faster than Miss Parkhouse did at the same age and Miss Rowe is swimming faster than both Miss Parkhouse and Miss Tomlinson did when they were 12 years of age. Miss Tomlinson beat the New Zealand representative, Miss G. Boyens (Otago) in the 800 metres and was only I.4sec behind her in the 1500 metres. Miss Parkhouse won a third title in the 400 metres freestyle with a good win over Miss Wright, but the latter made a fine fightback in the 200 metres event and won easily in a time less than a second outside her national record.

The 100 metres sprint was won, as expected, by Miss Whiting but she received strong opposition from Miss Wright, whose efforts in the 100 and 200 metres events could open a new phase for her—sprinting in preference to longer distances. Miss G. J. Stirling (Auckland) won the two backstroke events in effortless style, but her times were 2.2 sec and 6.7 sec outside her national records for the 100 and 200 metres, respectively. Miss B. Macrae (Auckland) who was chosen in the national team for the Canadian tour was disappointing, but there was some merit in the swims of an age-group competitor, Miss D. Ledgerwood (Otago). The feature of the breaststroke events was the two

wins by the former New Zealand champion, Mrs V. J. Noble (nee Haddon), after an absence of four years. With a minimum of training she carried off both titles without being fully extended, although Miss N. Dunlop (Southland) looked a good prospect for the future. Mrs Noble and Miss Dunlop, aged 16, are similar in physique—both tall with powerful arms and legs. These two "women and several who were prominent at the age-group championships could make the stroke popular again. Miss S. J. Hunter was something of a disappointment, although she won both medley events and was a close second to Miss Whiting in the 200 metres butterfly. It had been hoped she would lower her 400 metres medley time by at least Isec but she was more than 9sec outside her record and more than 7sec outside the 200 metres medley record held by Miss P. Chapman. However, it was not really surprising she failed to set new times when the amount of swimming she had done earlier in the week at the age-group championships was considered. The sacrificing of a few titles in future might bring her more records.