SWIMMING

Evening Star, Issue 22630, 23 April 1937, Page 4

SWIMMING

NOTES AND COMMENTS [By Hooker]. NEW ZEALAND RECORDS OTAGO SWIMMERS SUCCESSFUL The last meeting of the New Zealand Council passed the following applications of New Zealand records: — 400 Metres Back Stroke.—P. E. Mathieson (Otago), Sraiix 42 8-ssec, March 18, 1937, at Dunedin. 400 Metres Back Stroke.—P. E. Mathieson (Otago), smin 35sec, March 27, 1937, at Auckland. 200 Metres Back Stroke.—P. E. Mathieson (Otago), 2min 37sec, March 29, 1937, at Auckland. 100 Metres Free Style.—Peter Hanan (Auckland), lmin.o 4-ssec, March 29, 1937, at Auckland. 220 Yards Ladies’ Free Style. —Miss Islav Purdio (Otago), 2min 40sec, March 29, 1937, at Auckland. BRILLIANT YOUNG SWIMMER Otago swimming enthusiasts have recollections of the promise shown by Harry Goldsmith when he represented Auckland in the New Zealand intermediate championships in 1935 at Timaru and at Hamilton last year. At that time he was up against the outstanding opposition provided by such swimmers as S. W. Jarvis (Otago) and A. Pascoo (Auckland), but the promise lie displayed then has been more than fulfilled since ho transferred to Canterbury, where he has been one of the season’s outstanding performers and one who seems destined ere long to take a prominent place in New Zealand senior championship competition.

Goldsmith won four Canterbury intermediate titles this season—the 100, 220, and 440 yards free style, and the 100yds back stroke, setting a new provincial record in the 100yds. He is also the most outstanding junior surf swimmer in Canterbury, and his superiority was apparent in his runaway win by 75yds at Taylor’s Mistake in the intermediate championship race. Other successes included runner-up in the New Zealand junior surf championship at Wellington and first place in the open-water event for the Harker Brown Cup. It is reported that Goldsmith intends to visit Sydney next year to compete in the surf championship, which will be held ' during the Empire Games. His father, Mr H. Goldsmith, sen., is a former Sydney and Auckland swimming official, and now represents the Auckland Centre on the New Zealand Council. KIWI NOTES The attendance at the club hour on Tuesday night was one of the largest of the season, showing that interest is being well maintained, although interclub competition for the season has ended. The club championship competitions in the men’s, ladies’, and intermediate boys’, intermediate girls’, junior boys’, and junior girls’ classes have attracted the best entries for some years, and the swimming generally has been of a high standard. Miss Islay Purdie is assured of winning the Eastabrook Cup (intermediate girls) and the Ladies’ Challenge Cup (ladies’ championship), but the New Zealand record holder has not had things all her own way, and Misses E. Abernethy, A. Brown, and W. Dunn have all been putting up god performances. This quartet are also doing fine work as coaches at the Tuesday night hour. Peter Mathieson is the favourite for the Halliday Cup, but he will not have things his own way altogether, since his opponents include Don. Reid, Reg. Geddes, and Arthur Thomas. Reid scored a good win in the 100yds championship after a great tussle with Mathieson, and Geddes is sure to win the breast stroke eveiit. Mathieson may clinch the issue by his supremacy in the distance events and at back stroke, of course, but the races to be held during the next few weeks should create much interest. In the intermediate boys’ division, C. Lawrence and W. Dyson will fight out the issue, with J. G. Reid also a creditable performer. Lawrence beat Dyson by barely a touch in the 50yds last week in 29 4-ssec. Miss E. Abernethy is showing improvement on the free style, as well as at back stroke, as she showed by heating Miss Agnes Brown for second place in the 100yds championship. Miss Brown should pay more attention to her breathing. Great interest is being shown in the club’s parents’ nights, which are being held at the 6 o’clock hour on Tuesday and on Thursday at 8.30, the club entertaining the visitors at supper after Thursday's programme. A programme of junior handicap and championship races is being staged on Tuesday, and there will bo demonstrations by club members embracing beginners and proceeding right np to the Now Zealand champions. On Thursday the events to

bo decided include the club diving championship for the Murdoch Memorial Cup, at present held by Doug. Freeman, the 100yds men’s back stroke championship, in which the starters will include P. E. Mathicson, the 100yds ladies’ breast stroke championship, the 220yds intermediate boys' free style championship, and the 100yds intermediate girls’ back stroke championship. The club’s second card evening will be held on Thursday, May 0. lan Shaw is training over the longer distances, but should remember to pull right through to the hip, particularly the left arm. Brian Wren is showing steady improvement on the crawl, and should make use of the paddle board. Ron Blanchett, who swam so well at the schools’ carnival, is developing a smooth crawl, but should left his head a little higher. E. Griffin is concentrating on the breast stroke, and should attend to his breathing and endeavour to cultivate a smoother action. Doris Lee is shaping well on the crawl, but should endeavour to straighten her arms a little. Although she has been swimming only a week or so, Beryl Herd is now able to cover 'nearly a length, and is showing increasing confidence. Billy Stewart is very keen, but he is inclined to cross his catch, and throw himself out of line. Joan Guthrie (who won the club junior girls’ championship last season) has a good kick, but should endeavour to get her elbows up higher. W. Brown, a brother of Miss Agnes Brown (the ladies’ captain), is a keen new junior, but he must practise his kick. Roy Rennie is a promising junior free style exponent. He has quite a well-relaxed arm action, but should put in time practising his kick. SUCCESS OF BROTHER AND SISTER Mr Alex. Greig, the 74-year-old Kiwi coach, has coached and trained throughout their careers some of New Zealand’s best breast stroke exponents, and he is recognised as a master when it comes to teaching young swimmers the rudiments as well as the finer points of breast stroke. The success of . many of his pupils at the schools’ swimming carnival recently provided further evidence of his great ability as a coach, and the most promising of his pupils included two swimmers, brother and sister, who were successful in their respective divisions. These were Noeline Peat and Bob Peat, whose father, Mr G. H. Peat, is a prominent official of the Kiwi Club. Noeline, who is only 11 shears of age, won the 25yds girls’ breast stroke under 14 in. 21sec, which equalled the record, and also carried off the 25yds free style under 12 in 19sec. Her brother, who is 12, won the 50yds boys’ breast stroke championship under 14 in 43sec. and another promising pupil of Mr Greig’s was second, this being Harvey Newall. Newall is also a most proficient breast stroke swimmer, and one who should be well to the fore in junior championship competition next season. The Peat combination gained further success last Tuesday night, Noeline winning the Kiwi Club’s 50yds junior girls’ breast stroke championship in 47sec, splendid time for an 11-year-old girl, and Bob won the 50yds junior boys’ breast stroke championship in 45 l-ssee, thus establishing a lead for the Irwin Cup. If Noeline maintains her present rate of improvement the New Zealand junior girls’ record should not bo beyond her within two seasons. NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIP DATES The New Zealand Council has approved of the dates suggested by the Taranaki Centre for the national championships, 1938, these being January 5, 6. and 8. The dates for the New Zealand junior and intermediate championships have been approved as January 15, 17, apd 18. The early date of both championship meetings will moan that swimmers will have to begin the new' season’s activities earlier than usual, and it will also mean that both the intermediate and junior and the senior championship meetings will have to be held in December next season. The council has appointed a sub-com-mittee consisting of Messrs A. T. F. Stokes, N. Batchelor, and the secretary (Mr B. O’Neill) to make a tentative selection of a New Zealand team for the Empire Games, this' selection to be notified to centres as soon as made.