AUSTRALIAN SWIMMERS

Evening Star, Issue 21628, 25 January 1934, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN SWIMMERS

SOUTH ISLAND TOUR In a letter to the secretary of the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, the secretary of the I\ew South Wales Amateur Swimming Association (Mr Dudley Hellmrich) gives particulars of the careers of the two men to whom, through the New Zealand Council, an invitation has been extended by the Otago Centre for a tour of the South Island. Ryan being unavailable, Reg. Clark is stated by Mr Hellmrich to be ’* undoubtedly the best all-round swimmer in Australia.” He has had a remarkable career in all branches of sport, and is recognised as Australia’s champion all-round schoolboy sport. He has represented N.S.W. in the combined Great Public Schools jn football, he has rowed for Sydney High School in the winning crew of the G.P.S. championship eights, he holds the State G.P.S. record for the high jump and shot putt, he is the ex-lOOyds junior swimming champion of Australia, a State representative clats water polo player,' and on top of this is a fine sporting personality. He will be nineteen years old in a month or so, and is still at High School. , . , Despite the fact that he was studying up till a week before December 6 he nevertheless carried off the N.S.W, 300yds medley championship, involving swims of 110yds back, 110yds breast, and 110yds free-style with a week’s preparation. He later swam fourth in HOvds , championship ot New South Wales in 63sec. Since then he has swum second in the 110yds bachstroks championship of wew South Wales in 1.16, beating the previous record bv 3-ssec, and swam second to Noel Ryan in the 220yds iree-style championship of New South ales. He is a member of St. George Chib, and can swim anv stroke and swim it well. Harry Tickle, the other man invited, is twenty years of age. and a member of Balmain Club. He is the hokler of the N.S.W. high diving and springboard diving championship titles. In the opinion of Mr Hellmrich, Tickle is the finest div*‘ Australia has ever turned out. Last year, when promiang to do well in the championship of New South Wales, Tickle was unfortunate enough to break his arm and it was oiilv taken out of splints fom dajs before the event. Then he gained places in both State events. Should Clark be unavailable, ho Wvatt is mentioned as an alteinatne. He is a member of Bondi Club, and nineteen years of age. He ,s i l lso * great all-rounder, swam second to Clark in the medley championship of New South Wales, and second to Rvan in the 110yds free-style_ championship of N S.W.. his time being 62 1-osec, which equals the previous best record bv an Australian swimmer, He is also a fair backstroke swimmer and a great P °Mr P Hellmrich adds that, regarding M'Cure (the Australian breast-stroke record-holder), he is sorry to say that, as a result of a motor accident, he will not swim again. His career is finished. His eyesight has been affected and lie finds it impossible now to take part in the sport.