How many medals for Shane Gould at Munich?

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32803, 31 December 1971, Page 15

How many medals for Shane Gould at Munich?

(By

JAMES SHRIMPTON.

through N.Z.P.A.)

The year 1971 ended for the world’s fastest female swimmer with a self-satisfying event that will not make the book of records. Shane Gould, 15, had the braces removed from her teeth.

Like any other teen-ager Shane disliked the braces, but put up with them for the sake of straighter teeth. This sporting supergirl’s smooth - stroking speed through the water brought her every world freestyle record from 100 to 1500 metres this year—although she only shares the 100 metres mark with Dawn Fraser. The feat won her a number of ‘‘sportswoman of the year” awards, while Australian swimming writers have predicted a record number of six gold medals for Shane at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. All the fuss has left Shane the same, unaffected schoolgirl she was a year ago when the world knew nothing of her and when her coach, Forbes Carlile, was only just realising that he had another of Australia’s post-war record-break-er's in his care.

Among other greenblazered girls who attend Turramurra High School on Sydney’s North Shore, the sft 7in Shane stands out as

a sun-tanned, hazel-eyed blonde, a teen-ager who enjoys a laugh with her friends but a young woman who knows where she’s going.

“Shane is calm and cool with an old head on young shoulders. She is tough mentally and physically—she concentrates on whatever task she has in mind,” said her coach.

Shane learned to swim at the age of three while living in Fiji. Back in Australia she progressed with a number of coaches until joining Carlile at the Sydney suburb of Ryde where she was overshadowed by Karen Moras, the world 800 metres record-holder.

After springing to prominence in the 1971 Australian championships, Shane went on her first tour, to Britain and Europe, where she smashed the world 200 and 400 metres records and equalled Dawn Fraser’s long-standing 58.9 sec for 100 metres. At home since then she has claimed the 800 and 1500 metres records, swimming times in all the freestyle events that would have won a men’s gold medal only a few Olympiads ago.

Shane’s dedication to swimming cuts deenly into her out-of-school life. Her alarm clock rings at 4 a.m. and within 45 minutes she is swimming in a 50-metre pool under the watchful eye of her coach. Two hours and a half later Shane is home for a quick breakfast before catching the school bus.

After school there is another two hours in the pool followed by homework and bed by 8.30 p.m.

By Munich Games time, Shane in 1972 alone will have logged more than 1000 hours and 2000 miles in training—hard work that will surely earn her at least one gold medal. “I’d be happy to win one gold medal at Munich, although I’ll be trying for more,” Shane said. “My best chance could be in the 200 metres, although I’d like most to win the 100.” Apart from the freestyle events, Shane will doubt-

less be called on for the sprint relay and she may possibly attempt the 200 and 400 metres individual medleys, too. Recently she has been recording worldclass times in the medleys. While swimming in general and Munich in particular dominate Shane’s life, she likes to get away from it all now and again. With two of her hobbies she’s still around water: surfing and sailing small craft. But she also likes to curl up with a good book, and she is interested in painting and sculpture.

Shane also likes cooking, but. as with other teenagers for other reasons, she has to watch what she eats. “No cakes, ice cream, bread or pastry,” she says with a grimace. “And I do love cakes.” Shane has to keep her figure to 9st, considered by her and her coach to be her ideal swimming weight. Carlile’s policy of yearround training for his charges means Shane and her clubmates are never out of condition. “They can hit their top with only a short period of

intensive training,” he said. “You don’t have to worry so much about getting them up to a peak and then tapering them off before a big effort.” Shane’s big effort will be at Munich in August. But she hopes her time at the top will include the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch and the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. After that, she would like to become a physical education teacher, perhaps coaching future Australian water babies towards Olympic honours.