SWIMMING

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 98, 20 January 1938, Page 6

SWIMMING

Games Team Leaves To-day

MEMBERS’ PROSPECTS

Successes Anticipated

(Bi’

Trudge.)

When the Wanganelhi leaves Wellington to-night for Sydney she will have as passengers members ot the New Zealand team to compete at the Empire Games, which will open in Sydney early next month. Members of the swimming section of the team were given the opportunity of revealing their prowess at a specially arranged carnival at Thorndon baths last evening, a privilege which the team fully appreciated. . . Reviewing the prospects of individual, members of the swimming section, I feel confident the team will not return home empty-handed, for there are a few who. on their performances alone, appear to overshadow the opposition the} are likely to meet, particularly Misses M. Leydon and G. Rix and P. Hanan.

Miss Leydon’s Prospects. The one who appeals as. holding the brightest’prospects and w-ho is more than likely to return with an Empire Games title' to her already creditable record, is Miss Mona Leydon. Auckland. Her great sw’itn on December 14 in a trial race at Auckland, when she recorded the fastest time yet to be accomplished by a British swimmer, 5.39 1-5, is convincing proof that she is likely to outpace her opponents in the 440yds. women's free-style championship. None of her Australian, Canadian, South African or English opponents have swum to within five seconds of her time. She will certainly not find the opposition so easy to stave off at Sydney, for Miss Dorothy Green, Australia, and Miss Phyliss Dewar, the present Empire champion, who hails from Canada, are sure to press her to her best effort. Miss Leydon’s times over 440yds. compare more than favourably with any other woman free-style swimmer iu the British Empire, and New' Zealand can rest assured that in this worthy representative alone her name will be placed on the British Empire swimming map.

Advantage to be Gained. Worthy of her place in the team is Miss Joyce Macdonald, the 15-year-old Invercargill schoolgirl, who, in covering 110 yards in 85 1-5 at her age, is deserving of every encouragement. She may not succeed, for included among her opponents are Miss Pat Norton, Australian Olympic Games representative, and England’s top-notcher, Miss Lorna I'rampton, but that is neither here not there. The fact remains that Miss Macdonald is worthy of her inclusion and what benefit is derived will be all to her advantage later.

Miss Rix’s Diving Prospects. Miss G. Rix, Otago, is a springboard diver of exceptional ability for New Zealand, and although it is true she will be competing against the best women exponents in the Empire for the first time, she can be relied on to give outstanding displays. I would not be surprised to learn of Miss Rix going close to the women’s diving honours. Her opponents will certainly nfced to give of their best to prevent her bringing the title to New Zealand.

Experience Will Bo Beneficial. In the women’s 220yds. breaststroke, Miss W. Dunn, Otago, will find exceptionally strong opposition in Sydney, and she seems the type who will fight hard every inch of tlie way. However, she should greatly* benefit from the experience to be gained. The most likely winner appears to be Mis» Doris Storey, England’s champion.

Davies’s Tough Proposition. J. C. W. Davies, Taranaki, the 220yds. breaststroke aspirant, is sure to face a tough proposition in the English nominee, a namesake, J. Davies, who ha s clocked 2.50 for the distance. Several of his prospective opponents have recorded 3.0. but the New Zealander’s best time only equals L. Smith’s Dominion record. Davies will need to improve on his New Plymouth time to hold a chance. Newell’s Hard Tasks.

By his achievements nt New Plymouth in winning the three distance free-style championships and lowering the New Zealand record on each occasion, L. Newell, Canterbury, left no doubt respecting his claim to be the greatest distance swimmer the Dominion lias produced in ninny years and justified his inclusion in the team. Repetition of this form at Sydney will place Newell on a much better footing than was thought likely before his recordbreaking performances at New Plymouth. However, he is going to face his hardest tusks in the 440 yards and 1650 yards races, both of which are sure to prove gruelling events. His times cannot be compared with those of R. Biddulph, N. Ryan, and R. Newbiggin. all of Australia, atid R. Lievers and N. Wainwright, the English champions. "With the exception of Newbiggin, all have bettered smin. for the 440 vards, whereas Newell’s best is 5.1.1 2-5. ’ 1 .

Hanan a Izikely Sort. It P. Hanan, Auckland, continues to show Ins best form nt the Games, one can resFassnred that he will he very hard to beat in the 110 yards. His national time of 60 4-5 is among the fastest recorded in the Empire. He will be opposed by such smart swimmers as R. Hooper (Canada), M. Y. Ffreneh-'Wil-liams and F. Dove (England), and R. ■Wiltshire (Australia). If times are to be regarded as a good guide, he should hold no fears about the Australian, whose time in winning the Australian trial has been bettered by Hanan on more than one occasion this season. The Englishmen might prove Hanan’s toughest proposition, as their times are fast, and they have been performing with the highest of credit in England during the season recently closed over there. The Canadian is also said to be exceptionally speedy over the distance.

Crump’s Inclusion. iN. Crump, Auckland, -flroved at New Plymouth that he was back to the form that earned him a trip to England for the Games in 1934, and he might turn out to be tlhe good proposition the selectors apparently think he is in the 110yds. event. However, this inclusion has caused much adverse comment in swimming circles. It must be remembered Crump can go with ■the ■’best when in form, and I believe that he will justify the confidence placed in 'him by the selectors. It would be a great feat if the two Aucklanders, Hanan and Crump, fought out the issue in the 110yds. title, and there is no saying that such might not eventuate.

Will Test Gaines Sprinters? When Miss Dorothy Green showed her prowess last January at the Australian national women’s swimming championships by wresting the major honours from Miss Evelyn de Lacy, the f’lympic representative of 1936, it was felt that Australia had developed a sprint champion who would thoroughly test the Empire Games representatives next month. Her times in West Australia so far this season have been such as to bear out the prediction that she will prove a worthy representative for Australia in sprint events at the Empire Games. Australia is rich in swimmers, and is expected Io do well with its wom-en representatives.