SATURDAY’S SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Evening Star, Issue 22261, 12 February 1936, Page 13

SATURDAY’S SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

A fine programme has been arranged for the opening session of the New Zealand national senior _ swimming championships at the Municipal Baths on Saturday afternoon and evening next. Popular prices are being charged at the afternoon session for which there will be no booking, but the box plan for all evening sessions is now open at Begg’s and is filling rapidly. Season tickets are also available at Begg’s.

Heats of the 100yds men’s free style, 220yds ladies’ free style, 220yds men’s breast stroke, and two water polo matches will be swum on Saturday afternoon, as well as the first three compulsories in the men’s diving championship. At night the men’s 100yds final, one-mile men’s final (heats of which will be swum on Friday night), ladies’ 220yds final, 220yds men’s breast stroke, the remaining two compulsories of the men’s diving championship, compulsories in the ladies’ diving championship, and three handicap events will be decided in addition to the second round of water polo in which two games will be played, are all set down for decision.

Every centre in New Zealand has forwarded entries for this meeting. In the men’s 100yds some great swimming should be witnessed, and the titleholder, W. J. Jarvis, will require to be at the top of his form to withstand the challenges of such speedy swimmers as Peter Hanan (the brilliant Aucklander who has forged to the front this season), R. B. Franbbam (who holds the New Zealand record ,of 54 3-ssec), Nosl “Crump (Empire Games' representative, who has had _ many doughty tussles with Jarvis in the past), and D. H. Symes (who returned fast time in the Canterbury championship recently). The ladies’ 220yds event is expected to be one of the races of the meeting. It will afford the Dunedin public its first glimpse of Miss Mona Leyden, who holds the New Zealand 440yds ladies’ record which she has twice broken this season. Miss Leydon, who is regarded by many good judges as an Olympic prospect, is holder of the 220yds and 440yds titles, but Otago supporters are hopeful that Miss Maxine Mathieson, who recently broke the Otago record in 2min _sosec, will strongly assail her over this distance. Miss Nancy Ludlow, of Auckland, won this title at Christchurch in 1934, and she is generally reckoned as one of the finest performers in New Zealand over 220yds and 440yds. Miss Nancy Basstian (Southland) has been showing fine form this season, and Southlanders are confident she will be on hand when the final issue is being fought out. The men’s mile has drawn together one of the best fields for a long time, and with J. D. O’Driscoll (Otago), L. Newell (Canterbury), D. P. Lindsay (Manawatu), R. Watkins (the present titleholder —Hawke’s Bay), W. Johnson and C. R. Buchanan (Auckland), and J. Neville (Taranaki) in the field the racing should be of a thrilling nature. L. Smith has won the men’s 220yds breast stroke seven times, and will again defend Ins title in an event in which. nine swimmers have come forward. The polo games should also be full of interest, and the first sections of tlie men’s and ladies’ diving should produce good displays.