Games swimming standards prow elusive

Press, 12 March 1982, Page 28

Games swimming standards prow elusive

From

KEVIN TUTTY,

in

Hamilton Like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, Commonwealth Games qualifying standards continued to be elusive at the second evening of the New Zealand swimming championships in Hamilton last evening. With half the events at these all-important championships swiim, not one swimmer has managed to crack a games time. Last night four swimmers came. within centimetres of times that would have gained them a games nomination. 'i' - ■ .

Although there were disappointments at failing to achieve the targets, there was some enthralling racing, and a Canterbury girl, Kim Dewar, who has been on the fringe of impressive times for a couple of years, won two titles within an hour. , Miss Dewar’s first title came in the 100 m breaststroke. It was her second national open title and she was within a tenth of a second of a time that , would have earned a Games ■ nomination .from the swimming selectors. Her winning time of Imin 17.4 s was also a -• •• • .. ..

tenth of a second outside her best. It was a perfectly judged race. She pulled to an early lead,' but still had enough reserve when her chief threat, Sarah Mahon (Auckland), loomed up on her left shoulder.. Miss. Dewar’s-second success was in the 400 m individual medley. It was only her third long-course medley of the season, and in the heats yesterday morning and the final she lowered her previ-. ous best time by more than 14 seconds. Her time last evening was only three

seconds outside the Games target time of smin 5.05. In the breaststroke Miss Dewar hoped to swim Imin 17.3 s or better. She was well on target, swimming her fastest 50m split. In the final few metres she was afraid that she would falter, as she had in her heat in the morning, but last night she had enough in reserve to hold off Miss Mahon in the final 20m. Both the men’s 100 m freestyle and breaststroke were thrilling races. Murray Parker (Auckland), the fastest qualifier, had strong op- ■ position, including the winner

of the 200 m freestyle, Richard Wells (Auckland). Parker took an early advantage and held it to the finish. He broke 54s for the first time, winning in 53.955, just o.ls off the time that would have earned him a nomination. Perhaps the outstanding feat was that of Andrew O’Donoghue (Canterbury), who nudged the titleholder, Barry Salisbury (Hawke’s Bay), out of third place. P’Donoghue recorded 54.65, a personal improvement of 1.7 s for the day. Mark Kalaugher (Aucki

land) sprinted out of the 50m turn to pass his team-mate, Brett Austin, and Grant Forbes (Canterbury) to win the men’s 100 m breaststroke. His time, Imin 7.655, was 0.3 s off the standard needed to earn a games nomination. Forbes was easily the fastest qualifier from the heats in Imin 7.85, but in the final was almost a second slower, and unable to hold off the challenges of Kalaugher and Austin. He has a chance to redeem himself in the 200 m breast-stroke tomorrow. Pamela Croad (Manawatu) won her first national title in ■«

the women’s 100 m freestyle final. The first New Zealand record of the championships was set by the Auckland Blue team in the men’s 4 x 200 m freestyle relay. The team of Parker, Wells, Michael Davidson and Anthony Mosse recorded 7min 55.45, taking 2.5 s off the old time set six years ago by Otago. - Men’s 100 m . freestyle: M. Parker (Auckland) 1, R. Wells (Auckland) 2, A. O’Donoghue (Canterbury) 3. Time 3min 53.955. Women’s 100 m freestyle: P: Croad (Manawatu) 1, L. Hartshorne (Wanganui) 2, T.

Sanders (Auckland) 3. Time Imin 0.475. Men’s 100 m breaststroke: M. Kalaugher (Auckland) 1, B. Austin (Auckland) 2, G. Forbes (Otago) 3. Time Imin 7.655. Women’s 100 m breaststroke: K. Dewar-(Canterbury) 1, S. Mahon (Auckland) 2, S. Morris (Manawatu) 3. Time Imin 17.495. Men’s 400 m individual medley: D. Greenwood (Otago) 1, D. Foster (Auckland) 2, P. Tozer (Canterbury) 3. Time 4min 48.255. Women’s 400 m individual medley: K. Dewar (Canterbury) 1, M. Hesketh (Wellington) 2, J. Nicholl (Wellington) 3. Time smin 8.295. Men’s 4 x 200 m freestyle relay: Auckland Blue 1, Otago A. 2, Canterbury 3, Time 7min 55.47 s (New Zealand record).