FRESH RECORDS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 42, 19 February 1935, Page 14

FRESH RECORDS

SWIMMING TITLES

OTAGO MEN'S SUCCESS

ELEMENTS OF SURPRISE

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, February 18. The breaking of two New Zealand records and the success of. Otago's representatives in dominating the men's'contests, were the features of the second session of the New, Zealand swimming championships at the Tepid Baths this evening. ;:''-' The competitors setting fresh records were P X Mathieson (Otago) and Miss Mona\ Leydon (Auckland). Mathieson won the 100 men's backstroke-title decisively irom the previous holder W (South Auckland) in lmin 45 4-ssec, a reduction bf one-fifth of a second ■trom his own record, which he established in Duuedin three weeks ago. Miss. Ley-dons achievement was in the 440 yds women's free-style event. This she won by 15yds after making an amazing finishing dash in smin 52 2-ssee, thus lowering her own tiniesregistered last year by 2 l-ssee. ■ There was an element of surprise about the other Otago victories. W. J. Jarvis outclassed his opponents in the 220 yds free style in 2min 23 4-ssec. In spite of his 100 yds success on Saturday evening it was not expected he would gain the furlong.. The Aucklandersj N. Crump and R. Frankham, failed badly, their downfall being conipleted by the Canterbury champion, D. H: Symes,. who, finishing well, pushed Crump into third place. Frankham: was a pool-fourth. :/' . ■"-. ' AN EXCITING, FINISH. . , The seventeen-year-oldx Aucklander, W. Johnson, figured in an exciting finish, the race being this time the half-mile and his chief rival J:-D. O'Driscoll (Otago). They stayed practically together during the .latter, stages of the contest «and fought I out a stirring finish, O'Driscoll gaining the victory by two yards in 11 min-23 2-ssec. ■I. Neville (Taranaki) ,was third, and R. IVatkins (Hawko's Bay), winner of the mile on Saturday, was a close fourth. Miss Leydon was successful in winning both the title and the 100 yds women's backstroke for which she defeated Miss Nancy Basstian (Southland). However, had the rules been strictly observed Miss Leydon should have been disqualified, for in trying to effect a quick turn she reversed her. body position too soon and i swam two strokes at.: free style. Miss Leydon's time, lmin 20see, equalled the' | standard. Interest in -the meeting was well maintained, and there was again a dapacity attendance. Auckland retains its lead for the Yald- : hurst' Shield, points having been scored | as follows:—Auckland 30,»"Otago 21, Southland 6, Hawke's Bay 5, Wanganui 5, South' Auckland 4, Canterbury 4, Taranaki' 1. . Following are the results:— y. 220 yds Men's Ffreo Style. W. J. Jarvis (Ofago) .. 1 D. 11. Symes (Canterbury) A.. 2 N T. Crump (Auckland) 3 Also'started; R. "Frankham (Auckland),1 P. H. McGrath (Southland). At the end of the first lap Frankham and Jarvis showed the wav, but at 'the second turn Crump was with them. Then Frankham moved to the front, and at 100 yds, which he had covered in 58 4-ssec, led Jarvis, Crump and Symes being handy. The completion of another lap found Frankham leading by one and a half yards, Crumpl and Jarvis still being together with Symes gradually drawing nearer. Thomas retiied at this stage. "*» N Jarvis now began to close on Er.inkham arid the crowd was^on- its feet' cheering when Frankham, whose movements weie becoming heavy, reached the 166 2-3 yds i mark only a. foot sooner than Jarvis, who was hard pressed by Crump.' The sixthlap bi ought a change. Without quickening his stroke Jarvis'left Crump and then trankham and held an advantage of two yards at the final turn from Symes, who had headed the Aucklandenv both of whom were labouring. -The last 20 yards Jarvis covered with a powerful sprint that sealed his victory by thro/yards. Symes out-distanced Crump by five yards. Time, 2imu 23 4-ssee. 440 Yards Women's Free Style. Miss Mona Leydon (Auckland) ........ 1 Miss Nancy Lnillow (Auckland) 2 Miss Ngaire Hughes (Canteibury) ... 3 Also started: Miss V. Carncross (Taranaki). Miss Leydon wasted no time in placing herself in the lead, and the completion' of the first 100, yards found her superior bytwo yards from Miss Ludlow, i\ho was only a yard ahead of Miss Hughes. The time of "osec testified to the sound pace. No pronounced difference was yet evident betn een,compe~titors, and at 200 yards Miss Leydon was leading Miss Ludlow by three yards, Miss Hughes being a further two yards behind. Miss Leydon tiied to put heihelf well clear of Miss Ludlow, but her rival lefused to lose further ground. It was not, however, until after the la-t turn at the 460 yards that Miss,Leydon emphasised her qualities as a stayer. An advantage of three yards hhe transformed into a victorious margin of 15 yards. Miss Ludlow beat Miss Hughes by 15 yards also. Time, smiu 52 2-jsec—a New Zealand record. 150 Yards McnV Backstroke. P. E. Mathieson (Otago f i W. AVhareaitu (South Auckland) .....'. 2, G.- Low (Canterbury) ' 3 Also started: T. J. Moorhouse (Canterbury), A. Eaper (Auckland). Heie again Otago supplied a neyr champion. Low was the leader at the first turn by 1% yards fiom Mathieson, Whareaitu and Moorhouse following closely. Low's chances, which had looked bright, began to fade in the second lap as Mathieson and,.Whareaitu gradually decreased his advantage, the former being within a foot of him at the tvirn. Mathieson now drove himself to the front, and had 1% yards in1 hand at the 100 jards mark from Low and Whareaitu, who were on equal terms. Realising that his title was slipping out of his possession, Whareaitu exerted pressure; and for d', while: Mathieson's effort seemed on the point of failure. Only a foot separated them at the last turn, but the Otago champion, had conserved more ' energy and he sped away to take the title by. two yards. Whareaitu defeated Low by five yards, Moorhouse being another yard further back. Time, lmin 45 4-osec1 —a New Zealand record. 100 Yards Women's Backstroke. Miss Mona Leydon (Auckland), holder 1 Miss Nancy Basstian (Southland) 2 After 40 yards Miss Basstian gave the impression 'that she-would be the victor, for she was leading her opponent by one and a half yards. However, the Aucklander .was well able to reduce the advantage, and when they approached the turn she was but two feet behind. Here Miss' Leydon made an error that would have justified her disqualification, for in turning* she rolled and took two free-style stroke?. This action enabled her to pass and turn quicker than her opponent. A much stronger finishing effort assured her of the victory by 3yds. Time, lmin 20scc. 880 Yards Men's Free Style. Final: J. D. O'Driscoll (Otago) j W. Johnson (Auckland) 2 J. Neville (Taranaki) 3 Also started: R. Watkins (Hawke's Bay). Tlie four contestants swam in a line for the first 200 yards, and it was' not until the seventh lap that Neville decided to set a faster pace, and at half the distance, he was no more than a yard in front of Johnson, who led O'Driscoll by. two feet. O'Driscoll and Johnson passed Neville in the nineteenth lap. Gradually smartening pace, the two leaders moved steadily away rom Neville, and'the issue narrowed down to them''alone. O'Driseoll ' entered the twenty-tsixth lap 1%-yards,ahead of Johnson, and it was now that the Aucklander endeavoured to save his laurels. He sprinted hard, and \vhile "the crowd barracked him he gradually/wore >down O'Driscoll's. advantage ami turned ' just behind. To many the Otago representative's . defeat seemed inevitable, but he was by no.means finished. Profiting from the momentum of his turn, he shot away from Johnson in a fine sprint and reached the objective a winner by two v-irHs Time, llmin 23 2-ssec. : 7 '