SWIMMING

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 152, 24 March 1938, Page 6

SWIMMING

Empire Champions’ Method Of Freestyle MISS MACDONALD’S RECORD

(BY

TBUDOE.)

The strongest impression gathered by competitors in the fewiinming competitions at the Empire Games in Sydney was that hard training—training to a far greater .extent than that usually done by New Zealanders—was the principal necessity for high-class swimming, but that correct style is an essential basis.

Valuable Freestyle Lesson. Almost without exception freestyle champions at the games made a wide placement of the hands at the stage known as the •‘catch” and performed a. Clean drive with the arms. The “catch” took place three or four inches outside the shoulder line, and, whether the hand entered the water at full reach or the arm had to be slid further forward, pressure was applied for the beginning of the drive immediately the firms were as t'fir as they coiild be extended. Having pressed until the arm was pearly at right angles to the body, most of the swimmers, it is reported, bent the elbow and pushed slightly toward the body and then ended the drive with an outward sweep to fi point a few inehefe outside the hip, practically level with the point of “cateh.” The recovery followed, apparently by means of ii lifting forward of the elbow rather than of the arm. The body position in the water was fiat, and an important feature noticeable in almost every instance was that to breathe swimmers simply rolled thqir heads to the side with a movement of the neck muscles without disturbing the squareness of the shoulders, and tjiat while they inhaled the cheek rested flat on the surface. Relaxation was inseparable from good results. R. Ririe, Canada, demonstrated all these points in winning the 110 yards and 440 yards Empire freestyle championships, and was, from ail accounts, the finest freesiylist taking part in the games. Youthful Star in Form.

Miss Joyce Macdonald, the New Zealand intermediate girls' backstroke champion, and Empire Games representative, who has been showing splendid form in the course of the educational tour of the North Island, achieved one of her chief ambition’s on Monday night at Gisborne by .'clipping one. second off the New Zealand 100yds. backstroke record, held by Miss Ena Stodkley since 1929. . On One previous occasion she equalled the record of 7(1 2-5, and on another was timed to do 70 3-5. When she appeared in Wellington a fortnight ago at the Hutt carnival, she so impressed with her neat style and pace that it was fully expected she would achieve something out of the ordinary before the northern tour was completed. She is improving all the time, and it would not come as a surprise if Miss Macdonald still further reduced her record time of 76 1-5 before the close of the season. Miss Macdonald is a great advertisement for the coaching methods adopted in her home town, Invercargill, where she learnt her swimming.

Championships Allotted. The national senior championship meeting for 1939 has been granted the Southland centre by the council of the N.Z.A..S.A. The intermediate and junior meeting has also been allotted, the Bay of Plenty centre being the successful applicant. The council has thus acceded to the recommendation of the conference of centres, held at New Plymouth in January. The championships will be held at Invercargill and Rotorua respectively.

Bitch to Pre-war Strength. Congratulations were ' offered by speakers at the Y.M.C.A. club gala day at Oriental Bay on Saturday on the rapid progress the elub had made in the past few seasons, and Mr. IV. H. Gerrie, representing the Royal Life-Saving Society, expressed the hope that in the near future the club would join in the lifesaving club competitions ’held in ■Wellington each season. So rapidly has the club membership grown that it was stated by one speaker that it was almost back to pre-war strength. Life-saving instruc.were keenly followed out during the season, and examination results Show that very few members failed to _ pass. The club should, be well to the fore in the life-saving section next term.

Coaching by Film. Films are to be used by the council of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association for instruction and coaching. A motion picture projector is to be purchased, and the council has decided to spend up to £2O on film.