Olympic strain on top Australian swimmers

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32848, 23 February 1972, Page 28

Olympic strain on top Australian swimmers

Because the Australian swimming team for the Munich Olympic frames was smaller than expected, a greater strain would be placed in the more talented members, the assistant coach (Mrs U. Carlile) said in Christchurch yesterday.

Mrs Carlile, her hus. band, Mr F. Carlile, and eight members of the Ryde Swimming Club (Sydney), are in New Zealand for the national open swimming championships at Dunedin on Thursday, Friday and Saturady.

Mrs Carlile, the first woman coach of an Australian Olympic team, said the team selected was a very good one but it was not large enough. It needed another five or six swimmers to get the best out of each member. “The team is a very controversial issue in Australia at present,” Mrs Carlile said.

EXTRA EVENTS “Some of the star swimmers, like Shane Gould, Brad Cooper and Graham Windeatt (all world freestyle recordholders), would have to swim in their main events, another stroke, and in relays. “Swimming should be Australia’s biggest medal-winner at Munich and it seems a pity to skimp on the team.”

The problem of younger members of the Australian team being away from school while they were at a training camp in Queensland was being ironed out. The national swimming union was arranging schooling for the swimmers during the five weeks and a half they would be in the camp.

Earlier this month, Mr R. Gould, father of Shane Gould, said he would seek dispensation for his daughter to be absent from the camp if it meant she would miss her schooling. The controversy was described as “hot air” by Mrs Carlile. EIGHT GOLD Asked about the prospects of medals for the Australians in Munich, Mrs Carlile said they hoped for at least eight gold; more than before. However, she said that although Australians held several world records, the northern hemisphere summer was just beginning and the Americans would not be at their peaks for several months. One of the eight swimmers in the Ryde team who will have especial interest for Christchurch supporters is Jimmy Carter, a former member of the Wharenui club. Before he left New Zealand, Carter and his clubmate, R. Gray, were great rivals. The times of both have increased considerably. The meeting between these two in the men’s 200 and 400 metres individual medley races will be awaited with much interest.