Swimming plans in jeopardy

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33052, 20 October 1972, Page 24

Swimming plans in jeopardy

New Zealand swimmers might be prevented from competing in the Australian championships next year if a move proposed by New South Wales is adoptedThe state association will ask the Amateur Swimming 'Union of Australia to change

the date of the champion-i ships from February to late i July, using them as a trial for the selection of a na- , tional team to compete in the . world titles at Belgrade in j August. 1 New Zealand intends send- j ing a team to the championships if they are held at Ade- . laide in February, but if the ' New South Wales proposal'

were adopted, it would probably be precluded. Last February, Australia used its national championships as a trial for the Munich Olympic Games and barred all but Australians from competing. The chairman of the New Zealand association’s council (Mr M. R. Duckmanton) said yesterday that he had not heard of the N.S.W. proposal, but if the dates were changed New Zealand would be at the mercy of the Australian union. Any New Zealanders with prospects of competing at Belgrade would certainly be handicapped if they were denied the chance of tough competition against the Australians. Mr Duckmanton said that the national titles in March would probably not be the final date for swimmers to gain a place in a world chamnionshio team. “The

door will be left open as late as possible,” he added. Mr G. S. Brockett, president of the national association, and manager of the swimming team at Munich, said that the Australians apparently wanted to follow the same selection policy as the Americans, who picked their Munich team only three weeks before the Olympics. This ensured that the swimmers were at a peak and also “competition fit.”