Swimming Melanie Jones fails in Games qualifying bid

Press, 24 March 1980, Page 18

Swimming Melanie Jones fails in Games qualifying bid

By

KEVIN TUTTY

Melanie Jones, in spite of a brave attempt, fell I.Bs short of the Olympic qualifying target in a special 200 m backstroke time trial;

before the finals of the. South Island secondary school carnival at Queen Elizabeth II Park on Saturday evening. there was a disappointing crowd to watch the finals — pupils gave their . local schools negligible support in

terms of attendance — but those present were generous in their encouragement of Miss Jones.

Unfortunately she slipped a little behind her target over the first 100 m, and ih a time trial it is difficult to make up lost time. Clive Power, Miss Jones’s coach, wanted her through the 100 m in “a low Imin 7.05,” but Miss Jones went through in Imin 7.95. She kept her stroke rate up but faltered in the last length.

Just before . Miss Jones, another member of the Wharenui club, Grant Gillard, swam a 100 m backstroke time trial. His target was a place in the New Zealand international squad and the time he had to achieve was Imin 2.2 s or better. Gillard was out of town most of Saturday on a university field trip. He arrivedat the pool 20 minutes before the start of the carnival and had only a brief warm-1 up.

But it was the right recipe for success. He swept to the finish in Imin 2.05, a time that would have won him the silver medal behind Gary Hurring at the national championships in Dunedin a week ago. Instead he won the bronze in a time of Imin 2.65.

The carnival was an immense success. In the 36 finals there were 17 records broken and one equalled, and some very good times recorded thanks mainly to the top swimmers still being in good condition after the New Zealand championships the week before. Andrew Smith (Kaikorai Valley H.S.), an internationally ranked age-group swimmer two years ago, broke three of the records in the under-15 boys section. Two were in freestyle, 50 and 100 m, and the third was the 100 m breaststroke. I Miss Jones (Burnside H.S.).d later in the programme I broke two records — the < open 400 m freestyle and the ■ over 15 years 100 m back- j stroke. In the latter event ' her time Imin 7.55, was just i I.ls off her New Zealand j record. She went through the 50m turn in a smart a 32.3 s but could not hold her | sprint to the finish to j threaten her national mark. | Grant Forbes (Shirley I 8.H.5.) in the over 15 years H section, and Kara Taumaunu « (Riccarton H.S.) in the under 4 15 years section, each broke two records, in their special- | ist events — Forbes the I breaststroke, and Taumaunu | the backstroke. ® Forbes had to be content with second’to a very good swirri by Paul Tozer (Burn- ■ side H.S.) in the open boys’ 200 m medley.

I Tozer, formerly of WaikI ato, but now living and j training in Christchurch, I won the bronze medal in the event at the New Zealand championships and on Saturday: recorded a, very good 2min 19.95.

. Rickie Binning (Burnside H.S.) had ncrcompetition in the over-15 200 m breaststroke but broke the meeting record. However, she was 4.6 s outside her New Zealand record, a time her coach, Mr Power, thought she might have challenged.

Another to break two records was Kim Dewar (Burnside H.S.). She won the over-15 200 m freestyle in 2min 15.25, a time that would have won the consolation final at the New Zealand championships. Hetother record was in the over-15 100 m breaststroke.

Megal Tohill (Moreau College) was an easy winner of the open girls’ 100 m butterfly but she was 1.5 s outside her best time and 3.3 s away from tjie Moscow target time she is trying to achieve.

Lisa Chamberlain (Avonside G.H.S.), a talented young freestyler, equalled the 50m freestyle record fori girls under 15. Gregorj McFarlane (Bayfield H.S.) I broke the over-15- 50ml freestyle time, ■ and Iona! Condie (Gore H.S.) the over--15 girls’ 50m freestyle! record. ■ - ■ . ■ ■ ;

A talented Burnside H.S. girls freestyle relay team of Tracy Turnbull and Misses Jones, Binning and Dewar took 4.0 s off the 4 x 50m mark. The new time was Imin 57.85.

Marlborough Boys’ College had a triumph in the last event when it won the boys’

-14 x 50m freestyle relay, 11 holding off challenges on , I each side from Shirley i B.H.S. and Gore H.S. 1 Abbreviations used in the - re- ; I suits are:— 1 At'anul H.S. (A.H.5.),. Avonsidej Girls’ High School (A.G.H.S.),j Bayfield H.S. (Bay. H.S.), Burn- , side High School (8.H.5.), Cash--mere H.S. (C.H.S.), Christchurch 18.H.5. (C.8.H.5.), Christ’s Col.'lege (C.C.), Gore H.S. (Gr. H.S.), .iHillmorton H.S. (H.H.S.), James ’jllargest H.S. (J.H.H.S.), Kalkoiirai Valley H.S. (K.V.H.S.), King’s . H.S. . (K.H.S.), Linwood H.S. . (L.HIS.), Marlborough Boys’ College (J1.8.C.), Jlarlborough Girls’ ; College (JI.G.C.), Jlercy College (Jler. C.), Jloreau College (M.C.), iNelson Girls’ College (N.G.C.), iiOtago B.H.S. (0.8.H.5.), Rang! IRuru (R.R.), Ricearton H.S. (R.H.S.), .St Andrew’s College (St A. St Bede’s ‘College (St B.), St Catherine’s College (St G.), St Thomas's College (St T.). Shirley B.H.S. (5.8.H.5.), Timaru B. (T.8.H.5.), Xavier College (X.C.). BOYS Open Freestyle.—4oom: C. Ellis (St A. 1, D. Robinson (C.8.H.5.) 2, P. Rush (K.H.S.) 3. Time: 4:22.7. Butterfly.—loom: G, JlcFarlane (Bay. H.S.) 1, M. Cockroft (T.8.H.5.) 2, G. Horner (8.H.5.) 3. , Time: 1:2.1. Medley. —200 m: P. Tozer (8.H.5.) 1, G. Forbes (5.8.H.5.) 2, M. Cockroft (T.8.H.5.) 3. Time: J 2:18.9. 4 x 50m freestyle relay.— , Jlarlborough B.C. 1, Shirley B. 2. Gore H.S. 3. Time: . 1:54.0. ' Over 15 Freestyle.—som: G. JlcFarlane : (Bay. H.S.I. 1, L. Marshall i I(R.H.S.) 2, S. Wheelans (C.C.) 3. LTime: 26.3. 100 m: G. McFarlane I (Bay H.S.) 1. G. Mason (A.H.S.) 1 12. C. Ellis (St A.) 3. Time: 57.0. ( 1200 m: D. Robinson (C.8.H.5.) 1, ' >C. Ellis (St A.) 2, M. Cockroft ( (T.8.H.5.) 3. Time: 2:3.4. ( Backstroke.—loom: G. Jlason ( (A.H.S.) 1, C. Cadigan (St B.) ( 12, J. Taylor (8.H.5.) 3. Time: 1 1:4.2. 200 m: P. Tozer (8.H.5.) J 1. C. Davis (H.H.S.) 2, G. Cadigan (St B.) 3. Time: 2:22.8. j Breaststroke.—loom: G. Forbes i iS.B.H.S.i 1, G. Whyte (J.H.H.S.) 1 2. CVu Davis (H.H.S.) 3. Time: ( 1:10.6. 200 m: G. Forbes (5.8.H.5.) 5 1, G. White (J.H.H.S.) 2, L. An- 2 sell (0.8.H.5.) 3. Time: 2:37.0. Under 15 (

Freestyle.—som: A. Smith (K.V.H.S.) 1, B. Hickev (T.C.) 2, D. Watson (M.8.C.) 3. Time: 27.4. 100m:A. Smith iK.V.JI.S.I 1. K.

• iTaumaunu (R.H.S.) 2, S. Grenfell ,’ (C.H.S.) 3. Time: 57.6. 200 m: A. * I Park (Gr. H.S.) 1. P. Cosseboom • / (H.H.S.) 2, S. Tipper (St T.) 3. > Time: 2:13.7. Backstroke..— 100 in: K. Tau- - maunu (R.H.S.) 1, C. Jiclntosh ■ (St T.) 2, P. Gee (Gr. H.S.) 3. . Time: 1:3.9. 200 m: K. Taumaunu ' (R.H.S.) 1, C. Jiclntosh (St T.) 2, ;A. Park (Gr. H.S.) 3. Time: ’' , 2:19.1. > , Breaststroke.—loom: A. Smith . (K.V.H.S.) L A. Srzich (X.C.) 2, . R. Nicholson (Gr. H.S.) 3. Time: " J 1:18.1. 200 m: A. Srzich (X.C.) 1, A. Bould (St A.) 2, JI. White ; (0.8.H.5.) 3. Time: 2:56.6. ’ GIRLS ; Open > Freestyle. —400 m: M. Jones , (8.H.5.) ’l, J. Gwynne (M.C.) 2, ’A. Coombs (N.G.C.j 3. Time: ’ 4:37.3. . .. - f Butterfly.—loom: JI. Tohill (M.C.) 1, A. Condie (Gr. H.S.) 2, ' S. Willis (R.R.) 3. Tim?; 4:6=3.. ■ ' Medley —200 m: , R. • ■Bihning-’i ' (8.H.5.) 1, Ki Barkman (N.G.C.) 2/. ' J.. Queen (R.H.S.) 3. - Time:. 2:32.9.' 4 x 50m freestyle relay.— ; Burnside H.S. 1. Gore H.S. 2, Avonside G.H.S. 3. Time: 1:57.8. - Over 15 Freestyle.—som: I. Condie (Gr. IH.S.) 1, C. Pearce • (L.H.S.) 2, S. O’Connell (8.H.5.) 3; Time: 29.8. 100 m: JI. Tohill (J1.C.l 1, T. Turnbull (8.H.5.) 2, I. Condie (Gr. H.S.) 3. Time: 1:3.4. 200 m: K. Dewar (8.H.5.) 1, J. Gwynne (JI.C.) 2. A. Coombs (N.G.C.) 3. Time: .2:15.2. Backstroke.—loom: JI. Jones. (8.H.5.) 1, C. Morgan (M.C.) 2, '. I. Condie (Gr. H.S.) 3. Time: 1:7.5. 200 m: C. Jlorgan (JI.C.) 1, S. O’Connell (8.H.5.) 2. K. ’ Barkman (N.G.C.) 3. Time: 2:29.8. Breaststroke.—loom: K. Dewar (8.H.5.) 1, B. Gaul (Mer. C.) 2, ■' C. Haugh (Gr. H.S.) 3. Time:-' 1:20.6. 200 m: R. Binning (8.H.5.) - ’ 1, B. Gaul (Jler. C.) 2, D. Craig •" (M.C.) 3. Time: 2:46.9. Under 15 Freestyle.—som: L. Chamberlain (A.G.H.S.) 1. L. Tuffre.v ■ (J.H.H.S.) 2, M. Dale (T.H.S.) 3. • ” Time: 30.2. 100 m: J. Queen' (R.H.S.) 1, L. Chamberlain •' (A.G.H.S.) 2, N. Chambers-.; (8.H.5.) 3. Time: 1:4.3. 200 m: J. -.’ Queen (R.H.S.) 1, A. Condie (Gr. H. 2. S. Willis (R.R.) 3. Time: ■ ■ 2:20.3. - .< Backstroke.—loom: T. McArthur (8.H.5.) 1, C. Ward (St C.) ' 2, K. Nichols (C.G.H.S.) 3. Time: / 1:14.2. 200 m: T, JlcArthur ■ , (8.H.5.) 1, K. Nichols (C.G.H.S.) 2, C. Ward (St C.) 3. Time: , 2:39.8. Breaststroke.—loom: J. Holmes , (J.H.H.S.) 1, E. Homer (B.H.S.i 2, K. Griffiths (0.G.H.5.) 3. Time: 1:26.4. 200 m: J. Holmes (J.H.H.S). I, E. Horner (8.H.5.) 2, F. Ash- z croft (M.G.C.I 3. Time: 3:3.1. .