Parkhouse’s win was exciting to crowd, but frustrating race

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33444, 28 January 1974, Page 11

Parkhouse’s win was exciting to crowd, but frustrating race

It was most certainly New Zealand’s' day for surprises in the swimming pool on Saturday, but for me, the final of the women’s 800 metres freestyle was a most frustrating race.

Five girls—Jenny Turrell, Rosemary Milgate, Sally Lockery (all Australia), Jaynie Parkhouse (New Zealand) and Wendy Quirk (Canada) —swam in exhibition fashion, up and down each lap, level as a desert horizon.

I could see after 200 metres, when they were lined up across the pool, that someone had to make a break to urge the others on—to make it a real race. Swimmers, I feel, are individuals, and should swim an individual race: that is, their own race. These girls were

■watching and waiting for one or the other to have the courage to take the lead. When none of the girls had made the break by the 650-metre turn, they settled into a steady pace, thinking they could win the event on the last lap.

This is how the race was won. Miss Parkhouse, with her six-beat kick, her three years of strength on the other girls, and her sprinting ability, swept the gold medal away from Miss Turrell’s fingertips. It was lack of experience on the younger girls’ behalf. Miss Turrell later said: “I was chicken to go out in front in case someone chased and beat me. and did a time which would break my world record.’’ Brian Brinkley (England) set his sights on winning the men’s 400 metres individual medley but was beaten by Mark Treffers (New Zealand).

Brinkley swam to a big lead in the first two laps, but was too keen to do well and spoiled his chances of a gold medal by exerting too

much effort in the first 100 metres.

Meanwhile, Treffers had caught Brinkley in the breaststroke leg and stroked confidently to the lead. He further increased his position in the freestyle leg. and won amid an appreciative crowd, in a new Commonwealth record. Brinkley, his hopes drowned, swam to the wall tired and sorry. But a silver medal is not too bad.

Taken to task The 200 metres freestyle men’s gold was won by the lank y-legged, 17-year-old Stephen Badger (Australia). His koala bear mascot sat faithfully on top of the lane 5 clothing box as Badger: cooly swam a well-paced! jrace. Two false starts did i not distract his concentration ano psyche. Badger commented on my prediction that Rob. Nay (Australia) would win the event, saying jokingly (after the race): “You’re not very good at predictions.” Badger, 1 am sure, is the l

man to take over Mike Wenj den’s sprint throne. Wenden finished third, just .Olsec ahead of my predicted favourite, Nay. The times for the men’s sprint freestyle events are poor by world standards. Badger’s winning time of Imin 56.75ec was a second off his best, and 4sec off the world record held by Mark Spitz.

The reason for this appears to be a lack of sprint training knowledge among many coaches, and an emphasis on distance swimming or the inability to convey the knowledge to the swimmers.

In the heats of the 100 metres freestyle, Wenden cruised to a creditable 54.25ec, but the depth in men’s freestyle is not there.

Beverley Whitfield, in her favourite event, the 200 metres breaststroke, was unlucky to lose her Edinburgh ititle to Pat Bevan. In the 'last 50 metres, she felt her imuscles tighten and could [not increase her rating and [produce her famous winning sprint.