SOME SWIMMING RECOLLECTIONS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3711, 21 December 1912, Page 4

SOME SWIMMING RECOLLECTIONS

KIERNAN AN D THE “CRAWL.” AND SOME OTHERS. “Why was it that the famous B. B. Kiernan never used the crawl stroke ?” Thus a correspondent, signing himself “Interested” writes to a Sydney contemporary, whose expert “Merman” thus comments : What memories the name Kiernan recal’s. “Interested” points out that Sydney, being really the home of .the crawl, it is remarkable that Kiernan did not cultivate its use.

As was stated in these columns some months ago, “Barney” Kiernan did know how to, and frequently swam, tho crawl. Though he never succeeded in “breaking the minute” (indeed, he had litt'e ambition in this direction), lie frequently, swam the hundred yards in Hie region of 60sec. As a matter of fact, it was from Barney that Yankee C .M. Daniels learned the crawl. When the great Sobraon boy was in England in 1904 the American—then only a second-rate swimmer —saw him crawl-. Daniels realised the possibi’tics in the stroke, and gotbusy. With the enterprise usual in the' States, he improved on Kiernan’s style. It took him two years, but in'l9o6, when Daniels made his debut, he heat Cecil Hoalv in the Olympic sprint swimming championship at Athens (Greece). Then and till quite recently Daniels was regarded as or- 1 of the'most wonderful sprint swimmers the world bad seen. Daniels has now retired from big swimming. Kiernan did not use tint crawl when racing. It was his splash less, tireless, and graceful trndgeon that put up his wonderful times from 220yds to a mile—records that have stood the test of time. F. C. V. Lane was, pracitcal'y speaking, a sprinter pure and simple. Yet he never used any stroke but the trndgeon. And Lane has some sterling times to his credit. Perhaps tho best (recognised performance) was the 2min 28 3-ssec for the furlong, which stood as the world’s record for the distance until Kiernan chipped one-fifth of a second off it at Brisbane a few days prior to his death in 1905. Since then, however, the record has been re-established several times, being bettered bv Lungwort)), Healy and Daniels. The record now is in Danie s’s name, and stands at 2min 25 2-osec. But “Freddv” is credited with tho “best ever”’ swim for the distance. Some years ago he-was “clocked” to do 2min 19 3-ssec. “Wonderful!” gasped the fans, “but they won’t believe it.” Anyway, F. C. V. is the only male Australian who has won a world’s championship. Though it is generally understood that Dick Cavil] was a crawl swimmer over all distances, such was not the case. The famous Richmond trudgeoned all distances beyond tho.; 100 yards, though lie would sometimes commence on the longer journey with a crawl for about 40yds.. Frank Boaurepaire is a trndgeon swimmer, though he adds a flutter of the right leg between seissor-kicks. Prior to forfeiting his amateur status, the all-conquering victor, for 100yds races, had commenced to emp’oy the crawl. The 100 yds was not. however, his host distance, though he put up good time when lie won tho English"championship several years ago—--59 4-ssec. That is his best swim or record for the distance.