Personalities In Sport

Evening Star, Issue 20995, 8 January 1932, Page 4

Personalities In Sport

No. XXXV.; BRIAN KERR. Otago has been somewhat lacking in senior swimmers of national championship calibre during the last year or two, but in Brian Kerr the province has a performer who has frequently shown real championship form, and one who, in addition to being a most versatile swimmer, has played a prominent part in the administrative side of Otago swimming. Although he suffered a handicap at the outset of his swimming career by virtue of a disabled leg, Brian Kerr has demonstrated in no uncertain fashion to what heights a swimmer can attain provided that he is possessed of the grit, determination, and perseverance that has been shown by the subject of this sketch. Kerr learnt to swim under E. H. Olds at the Municipal Baths

in 1922, and while attending the Maori Hill School, soon showed a decided aptitude for the sport. In 1923 he swam in behind “Buster ” Olds in the schoolboys’ championships, and from that period onwards his swimming progressed in remarkable fashion. He won all the junior free stylo events at the Boy Scouts’ intermediate jamboree in 1926, at which Scouts were competing from New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa.

In 1928 Kerr made his first appearance in the intermediate boys’ division at the Otago championships, and won all the free style events, while the same season saw him annex the junior championship at the Otago Boys’ High School. Turning his attention to back stroke, Kerr soon showed marked proficiency at this style of swimming, and

Pen Sketches

[By H.P.S.]

though unable to get much power from one-leg concentrated on his arm work and developed a very powerful stroke, which went to show that after all the greater part of a swimmer’s speed comes from the arms. He won the Otago 150yds back stroke championship in 2min 3 2-ssec after a great race, the Otago record going by the board by 12sec. That season he won the junior championship of the Dunedin Amateur Swimming Club, with which he has been associated throughout his swimming career. In the 1929-30 season he ivas selected in the Otago team for the New Zealand championships at Greyniouth, and filled the position of run-ner-up in the 150yds national men’s back stroke championship to L. Moorhouse, the New Zealand record-holder and Olympic representative. Last season Kerr further improver! his time in the Otago 150yds men’s back stroke championship, which he won in 2min 1 3-ssec. At the recent Otago championships he swam the best race of his career, and without being extended won the 150yds men’s back stroke championship for the third time in Imin 59sec, time which has been beaten by only two men at the New Zealand championships. It is confidently anticipated that he will further improve upon these figures at the New Zealand championships at Timaru, and he should be capable of giving L. Moorhouse a really good race.

Kerr’s activities have not been confined to back stroke, even in recent years, and quite often he has shown his sportsmanship by competing in the men’s free style championships with a view to making competition. Over the short dash he has proved himself one of the fastest men in Dunedin, and at the recent Otago championships was a member of the Dunedin Amateur Swimming Club’s four-a-side team that won the 133 l-3yds relay championship, He won v the club’s senior championship in 1930, and has been a member of the Dunedin Club’s water polo team for the last three seasons. Last season he was one of the most prominent members of the seven that carried off the Donald Stuart banner for the water polo premiership. On the administrative side of the sport Kerr has brought youth, energy, and enthusiasm to bear in his associations with the Dunedin Club. He was assistant secretary of the club in 1928, and became _ secretary the following year, a position he has occupied ever since with distinct credit. His work has been attended with such success that his club now has one of the largest memberships in New Zealand. As a member of the Otago Centre for the last two years, he has shown himself to be possessed pf sound judgment and a delegate who is not afraia to put in any amount of work to foster the sport. His unassuming demeanour at all times, and his willingness to assist other. swimmers has made him, one of the most popular figures in' the Otago swimming world.