SWIMMING CHAMPIONS

Evening Star, Issue 23499, 13 February 1940, Page 6

SWIMMING CHAMPIONS

DOMINION TOURNAMENT OTAGO TAKES THREE TITLES ONE RECORD BROKEN [fen Unitbu I’iiess Association.] WELLINGTON, February 12. The New Zealand national swimming championships were continued this morning and to-night. Two heats in the men’s 220yds free style and a round of the water polo championships were hold in the morning, and to-night a largo crowd attended to see the decision of the men’s 220yds free style, the women’s 100yds back stroke, the men s ,100yds back stroke, the men's 880yds free style, and the women's 410yds free stylo championships. Though slightly cold in the morning, the temperature of the water had con-

siderably improved from G3deg to G7deg. The day was sunny and warm. Results; MEN’S 220 YARDS FREE STYLE. First Heat.—P. Hanan (Auckland) 1. J. T. Clark (Wellington) 2, F. Pennington (Wellington) 3. Time, 2miu 31 l-usec. Won by a length. Second Heat.—A. Pascoo (Auckland) 1. 11. Hatchwell (Wellington) 2, H. G. Goldsmith (Canterbury) 3. Time, 2min 27 3-ssec. Won by a touch. —Final.— P. Hunan (Auckland, holder) ... J A. Pascoo (Auckland) 2 H Goldsmith (Canterbury) . 3 Time. 2min 24 l-ssec. WOMEN’S 100 YARDS BREAST STROKE. Miss W. Dunn (Otago) 1 Miss N. Dixon (Nelson) 2 Miss J. Hanan (Southland) 3 Time, 86 4-sseo

WOMEN’S 100 YARDS BACK STROKE. Miss J. Macdonald (Southland) ... 1 Miss R. Stackpolc (Auckland) ... 2 Mjiss D. Mulvey (Southland) 3 Time, 75sec. MEN’S 100 YARDS BACK STROKE. O. Cliff (Canterbury) ... 1 P Mathieson (Auckland) 2 A. Thomas (Otago) 3 Time, 65sec, which breaks Cliff's New Zealand record by 3-ssec. MEN’S 880 YARDS FREE STYLE. L. Newell (Canterbury) 1 P. Mathieson (Auckland) 2 F. Pennington (Wellington) 3 Time, llmin 30 2-ssec. WOMEN’S DIVE. Miss G. Rix (Otago) 1 The only competitor. WOMEN’S 440 YARDS FREE STYLE. Miss I. Purdie (Otago) 1 Miss M. Leydon (Auckland) 2 Miss C. Garvin (Bay of Plenty) ... 3 Time, 6min 2sce. WATER POLO. Wellington A 2, Wellington B 2. Otago 11, Hawke’s Bay 2. Canterbury 4, Hawke’s Bay 1. Otago are tho present polo champions.

MISSES PURDIE, DUNN, AND RIX WIN

[Special to the ‘Star.’] WKLLINGTOX, February 12. in the 100yds back stroke championship Cliff defeated the holder, Mathieson, by about syds. Thomas was syds further back. The time of Gssec was announced as a record, but Mathieson at Auckland covered the distance in 64sec, which is awaiting recognition as a record. Cliff, Mathieson, and Thomas were ahead of the other three at the first turn, after which Cliff went into the load. Thomas stayed with Mathieson very well. Miss llix was the only contestant in the ladies’ diving championship. Her performance in the compulsory dives was almost perfect, and evoked the applause of the spectators. Miss Macdonald was not troubled in the ladies’ 100yds back stroke, and won comfortably in time 2-5 of a second outside her own Dominion record. She appeared to be capable of faster lime,

but her win of over 4yds did not require it. In the men’s 880ycls free style Kidd and Malthus staged a great battle for fourth place, Kidd getting there by a touch. The main race was the duel between Newell and Mathieson, and Newell did not go ahead until 500yds had been covered. It was a fine effort by the ex-Otago man, as the race was swum after tho back stroke event. Miss Dunn won tho women’s 100yds breast stroke in time 2-5 of a second outside her own record. For the first 50yds she and Miss Dixon were together, but she went away rapidly in the last lap to win by three and a-half lengths. In the women’s 440yds free style the race developed into a tussle between Miss Purdie and Miss Leydon. The first 100 was swum in 70sec and tho

first 220 in 2min 51sec. Miss Purdie gained on the turns, and Miss Leydou made up some leeway in straight swimming. Miss Purdie was 3yds ahead at 300yds, but Miss Loydon spurted at 350yds and was only a foot behind at tho last turn. The turn beat her, and she was a yard back at the finish. Miss Grey (Auckland), the holder, was well back fourth. Tho time was 2 2-ssec better than last year’s. On the day’s showing against Hawke’s Bay Otago should he able to hold the water polo title against all comers. O’Driscoll and Taylor were outstanding in this game.