Today is crucial for top swimmers

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34104, 17 March 1976, Page 38

Today is crucial for top swimmers

(From

KEVIN TUTTY)

DUNEDIN

For swimmers seeking Olympic nomination, the first day of the 1976 New Zealand swimming championships at Dunedin’s Moana Pool today will be the most important.

All six finals to be decided this evening are events in which New Zealand could hope to be represented at the Olympics, so just how well the swimmers are performing should be known by 9.30 tonight. Alter having a team of eight at the world championships in Cali, Colombia last July, New Zealand could have reasonably hoped for the same number at the Olympics, but that figure looks very high at present. Two broken

The national selectors (Messrs Ron Shakespeare, Roly Webb and Johnny Johnson) released target times last October for New Zealand swimmers, but to date only two have broken those times and another two have equalled them.

When the times were released, the selectors said that beating them did not mean an automatic nomination for the Olympics, and with the progression .of some world rcords in the past few months that comment must be uppermost in the minds of several swimmers.

For example, Monique Rodahl hopes to qualify in the 200 m backstroke. The selectors’ target time is 2 min 25sec, which Miss Rodahl has equalled, although she swam 2min 21.5 sec at the world championships. But only this the world record for that event was lowered yet again by an East German 14-year-old. Anjet Stille, to 2min 13.5 sec. If Miss Rodahl wants a nomination in that event she might be expected to swim her best time, if not faster. Assured The two people who have beaten target times are Rebecca Perrott (Wellington) and Mark Treffers (Canterbury), while Miss Rodahl and Lynne Rowe (Canterbury) have each equalled a time. Miss Perrott is assured of a place in the Olympic team on her performances already this season. She has beaten the 100 m freestyle qualifying time four times, and also the 200 m and 400 m freestyle targets. Treffers bettered the 1500 m freestyle target in a solo swim in January, and Miss Rowe equalled the 100 m butterfly time, also in January. The finals to be decided tonight are the 200 m freestyle, 100 m backstroke and 200 m butterfly for both men and women.

It seems only a formality that Miss Perrott will better,

the target time of 2min 7.5 sec. yet again in the 200 m freestyle. But in the same event Alison Calder (Otago) and the promising Susan Burton (Waikato) will also be striving for the mark. With this competition it is possible all three could go under the target. Not at peak Tan Bullock (Otago) has been assaulting the men’s backstroke records in the past two months and that was when not in peak condition. He has the 100 m record at Imin. 2.lsec., but will have to take l.lsec. off that to equal the time set by the selectors. He clipped o.9sec. off the old time in February, so l.lsec. would not seem too difficult. Bullock may become the first New Zealander to break Imin. for the distance. Miss Rodahl is entered in the 100 m backstroke and the 200 m butterfly two events later, and although she is competent at both it is likely she will scratch from one—probably the tougher butterfly event.

The 200 m butterfly will see the first of three clashes between McConnochie and Treffers and the race should be the highlight of the first evening. Not only does it contain these two powerful swimmers, but also John Coutts (Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay) and Graeme Wright (Waikato). Competition The 200 m .butterfly is perhaps Miss Rowe’s strongest event, and it will be in this she will be seeking a good time. But she will not be without competition. Miss Calder has recently added butterfly to her repertoire and she has a best time only a couple of seconds outside Miss Rowe’s