SWIMMING TITLES

Evening Star, Issue 23175, 26 January 1939, Page 2

SWIMMING TITLES

INTERMEDIATE AND JUNIOR MEETING

DGOHD TO CHRISTINE GARVIN

TWO Wilis TO OTAGO

[Scmii. lo in a • si'Ai!.']

ROTORUA, January 2(5. Showing that, they were well up to the siamiard of previous champions, compel itors at the New Zealand intermediate and junior swimming championship meeting last night recorded last limes and staged thrilling races. Ray of Plenty leads for the War .Memorial Shield with three wins, Otago is next with two, and Southland and Soutli Canterbury third with one each.

Year after year New Zealand is producing brilliant girl swimmers, and Otago has again been responsible for another in Miss Christine Garvin, who scored a great victory in the 220yds intermediate girls’ championship in the record time of 2min 45 1-ssec. The manner in which Miss Garvin made herself the holder of the title thrilled the crowd.

She forged to the front from the plunge, and her opponents had no liope of catching her as she swiftly added to her lead. She unwound a final sprint that roused the spectators’ enthusiasm and touched the finishing ropo 39yds before the rn'iiner-up, Marjorie Black (Auckland). Alias Black registered ,‘hnin 3sec. From her own record of 2min 47 4-osee, which she put up in the Otago championships last month, Aiiss

Garvin clipped 2scc in this sterling win. Prior to Miss Garvin gaining the honour of being the record-holder for tho distance the record stood to the credit of the highly-rated Auckland senior lady champion of this season, Kathleen Grey, whose time, put up when she won the intermediate championship at Nelson last January, was 2min 48 4-sscc. Miss Garvin has an amazingly strong action in which full exploitation of shoulder power without a. disturbance of bodj' balance is a feature. Tho secretary of the N.Z.A.S.A. Bureau of Instruction and Coaching (Mr W. O. Stockloy. of Auckland) warmly praised Miss Garvin’s skill. “ Kathleen Grey and Mona Leydon are fine swimmers,” he said, “ but this girl, Christine Garvin, will in a very short time bo forcing them to their fastest pace. If she decides to try for ti e senior title at Invercargill next month she has rosy prospects of becoming flic national furlong champion.

OTAGO RETAINS GIRLS’ DIVING. Once again a diving title went to Otago when Miss Rita Smith was awarded first place in the intermediate girls’ diving for the second year in succession. Sho was much superior to her opponents, and gained points at almost every dive. _ Sho is considered an extremely promising diver. Skc had good flight." and her entry was well above intermediate standard. The judges were pleased by her boldness in executing the dives. Otago’s representative in the 75yds junior hoys’ breast stroke championship, J. Purdie, put up a good showing. but could do no bettor than fill third place. The winner was the Timaru lad. R. Henry, who possesses a good style, and led from the start to take a comfortable victory. GREAT MAORI SPRINTER.

A great sprinter is dim Whiti, a Maori lad who won the 100yds intermediate boys’ title in 57 l-Tsec. Applying himself to his task in businesslike manner, be .soon put a wide gap between himself and his rivals, and won by 7yds from another Bay of Plenty youth, S. Sewell. Whiti would be considered one of the best among the senior sprint champions. Not many of these are capable of registering his time. 57 l-os-ec, in fresh water. His performance was equally as meritorious as that of the Aucklander, Noel Crump, when ho established the intermediate record of 55 4-ssec in salt water four years ago. Whiti swims with a high position. SOUTHLANDER RETAINS TITLE. The 50yds junior girls’ hack stroke title was retained by Miss Beryl Wosterby. of Southland. As indicated by her time of 57 2-ssee. which equalled the existing New Zealand record, she swam well, but she was undoubtedly lucky to defeat the runner-up. Miss Betty Owens, of Auckland. When leading by about 2yds only syds from the finishing rope. Miss Owens, through touching a rope-line with her arm. stopped swimming, believing she had reached the finish. This cost her victory, because before she could recover Miss Westorby moved to the front and won by a touch. Alins Owens, who lowered the record to 3(! 3-ssec at Auckland last week, was timed at 37 4-sscc. Both arc .13 years of age. but Miss Owens is much the bigger of the two. FAST JUNIOR FURLONG.

A groat fight was put up by Colin Sell, of Otago, in the furlong 1 junior boys.’ event, but ho and the other contestants were no match for the fastmoving (Rotorua lad. AT. Loffloy, who was an easy winner in 2mm 41 2-ssec. With a .style that showed evidence of careful coaching, Loffley was only 4 4-osec slower than Syd. Jarvis’s record. BACK STROKE RECORD GOES. Another Maori lad, B. Morrison, was victorious in the 100yds intermediate boys’ hack stroke in 73 2-sscc, which was 9scn faster than tho listed record of M. Gorrard (Southland). Morrison had a stirring struggle with W. Hart (Canterbury), who established a new record of 73sco at Christchurch last

wcok, and heat him by a touch. Morrison swims with a good stroke, and, like Whiti and Lolfley. has been developed by the (Rotorua coach, J. B. Perrin.

'Pile meeting will he continued tonight and concluded on Saturday. Results :

75 YARDS JUNIOR BOYS’ (BREAST STROKE. R. Henry (South Canterbury) ... 1 R. Henuiugseen (Canterbury) ... 2 J. Purdie (Otago) 3 Time, Imiu 2soc.

220 YARDS INTERMEDIATE GIRLS’ FREE STYLE. M iss C. Garvin (Otago) ... 1 .Miss Al. Black (Auckland) ... 2 Miss N. Griffin (Auckland) .... ... 3 Time, 2min 45 I-ssec —a New Zealand record.

100 YARDS INTERMEDIATE BOYS’ FBEE STYLE. J. Whiti (Bay of Plenty) 1 S. Sewell (Bay of Plenty) 2 O. Vaughan (Wellington) ... ... 3 Time, 57 l-s«cc.

30 YARDS JUNIOR GIRLS’ BACK STROKE. Miss B. Westerby (Southland) ... 1 AI iss B. Owens (Auckland) 2

Miss P. Smith (Bay of Plenty) ... 3 Time. 37 2-s,sec, equalling the New Zealand record, which, however, Miss Owens recently broke.

INTERMEDIATE GIRLS’ DIVE. Miss R, Smith (Otago) 47.55 points 1 Miss J. M'Donald (South Auckland) 2 Miss J. Black (Nelson) 3

220 YARDS JUNIOR BOYS’ FREE STYLE. M, Lofllcy (Ray of Plenty) ... ... 1 C. Sell (Otago) ... 2 H. Davis (Wanganui) 3 Time. 2miu 41 2-ssec.

100 YARDS INTERMEDIATE BOYS’ BACK STROKE. B. Morrison (Bay of Plenty) ... 1 W. Hart (Canterbury) 2 I. Hall (Otago) 3 Time, Imin 13 2-sscc, a New Zealand record.