AUST., N.Z. GIRLS SET EMPIRE SWIM RECORDS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23172, 7 February 1950, Page 6

AUST., N.Z. GIRLS SET EMPIRE SWIM RECORDS

(P.A.)

AUCKLAND, Feb. 7

British Empire swimming titles were well distributed in the second session of the Games last evening.

Australia won two championships, the women’s 110yds. and the women’s 330yds. medley relay.

Canada took the men’s 110yds. freestyle and South Africa won the 1650yds. freestyle.

The attendance was another record; the total being nearly 7000.

The programme was put through with none of the inconvenience of the first night and was diversified and interesting. The Governor-General, Sir. Bernard Freyberg. and the Prime Minister, Mr. S. G. Holland, were among the audience. British Empire Games records were set by Marjorie McQuade in the women’s 110yds. freestyle, by the Australian team in the women’s medley relay and by Jean Stewart of New Zealand in the women’s 110yds. backstroke. Backstroke Champion’s Record New Zealand’s champion woman backstroke swimmer, Jean Stewart easily won the first heat of the women's 110yds. backstroke event, beating P. Symout, Australia, by about four yards. Miss Stewart had a better style and with her well-controlled stroke bettered the Games record with her time of lmin. 18.6 sec. The second heat was extremely exciting. Judy Joy Davies, the Australian, won by little more than a foot from Helen Yate of England after Jeanette Holle, the second-string Australian had made a great spurt for 30yds of the second lap. Miss Holle drew almost level and then faded in the final 10yds.

The two leading New Zealanders, J. Shanahan and C. Callan. established an early lead in the first heat of the men's 220yds. breaststroke championship. but over the final 110yds. the Australians, R. R. Sharpe and D. Hawkins came with a rush. Callan was effective for only half the race and Shanahan was utterly done in the last 30yds.

Sharpe, by contrast, was still fresh and relaxed in his stroke even in his fast final spurt. K. Hallett, the Australian champion, was disqualified before halfwav of the second heat for incorrect kicking. He and R. Romain, the English champion, swam the butterfly and T. Eagle, the former national junior champion who, in any case beat Hallett by a touch, swam the orthodox stroke, iiomain tired rather badlv over the last 70 yards but he still won comfortably bv about five yards. Thrilling Sprint Final

The final of the men’s tlOyds. championship was a thriller. P. Salmon, the husky Canadian, had a lead of a foot or so on his team-mate, L. Beaumont, with F. O’Neill, the Australian champion. nearly a yard behind but as Salmon lost form over the last 25vds. O’Neill made a tremendous spurt and was beaten by no more than three or for inches. It was the fourth time in four Empire Games that Canada had taken the title of “the Empire's fastest swimmer.”

M Amos, the New Zealander, was beaten into last place but his performance was an improvement in all .respects on his showing in the heat on Saturday. Beaumont, had not the power io sustain the testing final sprint and P. 11. Kendall, the son of the swimming manager of the English team, came- with a fine sprint to secure third place. Marjorie McQuade Easily The champion of Australia became, champion of the Empire and a new British Empire Games record was set when the women's 110yds. final was staged. Marjorie McQuade, after being well headed in the first lap bv the South African, Joan Harrison, came in the second with her superior stvlc and speed to win from Margaret Wellington. of England, bv a shade under two feet. Miss Wellington made a splendid sprint ail down the second lan and it was a noble effort. Miss Harrison was about a vard behind Miss McQuade in third place. To (be greal disappointment of the crowd neither of the New Zealand finalists. Norma Rridson nor Winifred Griffin showed her Saturday’s form. Miss Griffin from inexperience, quite failed to judge her turn accurately and swam info the rope lane and veered from there across to the other side of the lane.

Johnson’s Surprising Form G. M. Johnson, the South African, asserted his superiority from the start of the final of the .1850 yards and, by virtue of an extremely powerful stroke and much faster turning, ho increased his lead slowly throughout the race, finally winning by 15yds. The principal interest for the audience was the fight for second place among three of the five finalists. F R. Lucas. New Zealand and D. Bland the Englishman swam well together in second place

for about half a mile but then J. Portelance, the young Canadian whose form was a vast'improvement on his showing in the heat on the first night, swam steadily into second place and amid much excitement he came home about 15yds. behind Johnson and four feet ahead of Lucas.

A decisive factor in the race for second was the consistently superior turning of Portelance. Lucas, by comparison, lost much ground at each turn. Johnson covered the first quarter mile in smin. Gsec., less than three seconds outside the New Zealand record for the distance. He was then about four seconds ahead of Lucas and Bland. At the half mile, Johnson’s time was lOmin. 32sec., less than six seconds outside Lucas’ New Zealand record. Johnson is 18 years old and a brother of a South African swimming representative at the Olympic Games of 1948. He holds four South African records. Brilliant Breaststroke Swim

The women’s 330.yds. relay provided Australia with its second victory of the night, largely because of the breaststroke swimming of Miss B. N. Lyons in the second leg. Miss Lyons was runner-up in the Olympic championship in 1943. Miss E. Church, swimming breaststroke for England, also performed well and Miss M. O. Wellington, swimming the final leg for England, did even better than Miss M, E. McQuade for Australia, but Australia's lead was too long to be caught. The time was a British Empire Games record. New Zealand was disqualified, the breaststroke style of Miss M. Sweeney being ruled out. 220yds. Breaststroke fsix fastest qualify for final).—First Heat: R. Sharpe (Australia). 2min. 53sec., 1: D. Hawkins (Australia), 2min. s(i.Bsec., 2; J. Shanahan (New Zealand), 2min. 57.45ec.. 3; C. Callan (New Zealand), 3min. s.7sec. 4. Second Heat: R. Romain (England), 2min. 57.Gsec., 1; T. Eagle (New Zealand). 3min. I.4sec.. 2. The other starter, F. Hallett (Australia), was disqualified. 110 yards Women’s Backstroke (six fastest times qualify for final).—First Heat: J. Stewart (New Zealand), 78.6 sec., 1; P. Seymour (Australia), 82.4 sec. 2. The only starters. The winner’s time beats the Empire Games record. Second Heat: J. J. Davies (Australia), 79.95 cc., 1; H. Yate (England), 80.4 sec„ 2: J. Hoolc (Australia), 80.8 sec„ 3: M. Girvan (Scotland). 83.2 sec„ 4; J. Morgan (Canada), BG.2sec., 5. 110 yards Men’s Freestyle.—Final: P. Salmon (Canada), Go.4sec.. 1; F. O'Neill (Australia), GO.Gsec., 2; P. Kendall (England), Gl.Bsec., 3: L. Beaumont (Canada) G2.3sec., 4; J .Wild (South Africa), 62.1 sec., 5; M. Amos (New Zealand), 02.5 sec., G. (Times as given.) 110 yards Women’s Freestyle —Final: M. McQuade (Australia), G9sec., breaking Empire Games record. 1; M. Wellington (England). 69.Gsec.. 2: J. Harrison (South Africa), 70.75ec.. 3: Spencer (Australia). 70.75ec., 4: N. Bridson (New Zealand), 71.25ec., 5; W. Griffin (New Zealand). Tl.Pscc.. G. IGSO yards Men’s Freestyle.—Final: G. Johnson (South Africa), 19min. 55.75ec. 1: J. Portelance (Canada). 20min. B.3sec.. 2: F. Lucas (New Zealand', 20m.in. 10.1 sec., 3: D. Bland (England), 20min. 18.5 sec., 4; B. Kellaway (Australia). 20min. 35.25 cc., 5: C. Chambers (New Zealand)! 21 min. 45.35ec.. G. j 330 yards Women’s Medley Relay.— Australia (Misses Davies, Lyons, McQuade), 3min. 53.85ec., breaks Empire Games record, 1: England (Misses Yate, Church and Wellington), 3min. 57.Gsec.. 2: Scotland (Misses Girvan, Gordon and Turner), 3min. 53.95ec.. 3: Canada (Misses Morgan, Strong and McNnmee)! 4min. o.osec., 4. New Zealand was disqualified.