RICH DIVES RISKY

Evening Star, Issue 22083, 17 July 1935, Page 4

RICH DIVES RISKY

Whether Australian women divers are safe and proficient enough to execute dives from a ten-metre (32ft) tower will be shown in the next Aus r tralian championships, following the decision of the Amateur Swimming Union of Australia. Although the Victorian women’s diving champion, Irene Bonnet, was able to execute a back dive from a 30ft tower when she was seven years of age, her father and coach (Mr T. Bonnet) told a Melbourne newspaperman that he would not permit her to dive from a high tower. “ Men have been hurt from the high tower,” he said, “Irene has still much to learn off the springboard, and I will not put her on the tower yet.” The secretary of the Victorian Ladibs’ Amateur Swimming League (Mrs M. Garvey) said: “ I cannot name any woman diver in Australia who is proficient enough yet for championships off the high tower. Lesley Thompson and Irene Bonnet are our best, but they do not compare with overseas champions, particularly from U.S.A. If a girl can dive well off a springboard, however, I think with training she should do well from a tower.” Nearly 12 months ago, the Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur eliminated a number of dives from future Olympiad programmes because they were dangerous to women.