SWIMMING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 15 November 1924, Page 19

SWIMMING.

Writing further on the subject of school champions, Natator says: “I have not had the opportunity of discussing the matter with the Association officials, but I am in receipt of several letters commending the idea. Further, I have berin given authority to state

that the Referee will provide the prizes for these events. There would be a medal symbolical of . the championship, and something bigger, such as a scholarship or a siiriilar .award to the boy who proves the champion of Australia of his year. We would suggest that there should' be two events, pne of 100yds and another of 440yds, and the boy who secured the greatest number of points would receive the bigger award. Trophies would be given for the individual events also. The matter is one of such vast importance that the Association, which undoubtedly has the advancement of swimming at heart, should iiiitiiecliately discuss it ahcl, endeavour tb put the events on jit., the ■ forthcoming . championship gathering. I am certain .-that' the incentive thus given would, create tremendous interest among the boys, and tend to make them increase- their efforts to reach the ranke pf champion of Australia.

• -New baths are to be erected by the Brisbane City Council at a Cost of £18,300. The site will be adjoining the prfeseiit Bobrbodabiri baths.

It is announced that Miss' Mabel Springfield will probably retire from active racing, and will devote her time to coaching: the young generation. Miss Springfield is a member of the famous, swimming family of that name. . “Sydney swimmers of a. .few years ago,” says the Referee critic, “will remember the long-distance pwimmer, Petty-Officer W. J. Hobbs, who, in Aus-, tralia for a. number of years, first of all until His Majesty’s Navy and then with .the Australian Navy. He was about the.most “durable” really longdistance man we have kiidtvh. I remember him; Winning- a five! mile event at the Rushciittcr Bay Baths; Mid, if memory serves, lie was the only competitor to finish. Anyway, he Avon easily. Hobbs swam second in the 500 yards chalhpipilship of New South Wales in 1903. He was later, disqualified from the prize ris he had competed professionally before coming to Australia. I happened to be third in that eveht, aiid was .''awarded, .the' silver medal for second prize. I have just received A letter from Hobbs. He is 50 years of age now, but still takes aii active part in .the sport professionally. Last season he .competed, in 12 everitS, Of which he 11.' They Were Allscratch events. One of thbni Was the “swirii thi-btigh Paris”’ a distance of eight miles,,, in .Which lie sWain fifth in a field of 40. His tipie Was 4h. liriiiri. This is the event -which Drive. Billirigfon once Won in 34 hclul-S, itbbbp iC sWiriiinirig iristructb'f to the i’lyrndiith education autiib'f.itieS) and .declares tiiat lie is fii very fine cohditibn; despite liis 50 b.tit; bf -co'iifSep, aprirtt rabes are out bf the question. He asks fo be' f'emeffibgred tp all his old swimiriirig friefllts. ..Hofibs., also' .forwards nevvspaper clippings telling of a smart resetie he. effected off Plyrriptitli Hoe. A lad of 1(), years of age,- .who ap ; p'arejitly eptilct riot swiriq got iiitb difficulties. Mobbs; fully flressbd, rescued the b‘oy, VvHd wds’ribiie the worse for his experie'rice: ” BEAUREP AIRE’S PROPHECY. Perhaps one of the best judges of swimming arid swimmers we have known is Frank Beaurepaire. It is, therefore, interesting that the Sporting Chronicle writer, in reviewing Hatfield’s career, should recall a prophetic femark riiade by Efarik in I'9-il. “Turning back the pages bf history,” says the newspaper, “reminds one of the rapid passage of time, for it Seems hut a short period since Frank Beaurepaire, after "winning the 50() yards championship .at Sheffield iii 1911, in which Hatfield was placed third, turned to some friends with the remark, ‘That hoy will be li chariipibn of England soon!’ Only one or two noted the statement, among them being the late Mr. Toni Hatfield; the Champion’s father, who, after his son returned from Stockholm in 1912, nearly to sweep the hoard of A.S.A. championships', asked me did I remember Beaurepaire’s prediction.” Another feather in Frank’s already overturned cap. SCHOOLS’ SWIMMNG IN AUSTRALIA. Says “Natritor” in the Referee:— “Why isn’t, tlieie a schoolboys’ swimming championship of Australia? 1 have miss eel this event from the big carnivals during the 30 odd years I have been closely following the game. Only once lias, it been competed for. That was away back in 1901, at the Gbirimbnwealth inauguration celebrations, and created tremendous interest, competitors being nominated frOm all over Australia. Since then there has been a remarkable development in swimming. Thousands of schoolboys are now taking part in races where there were tens in the days of which I speak. Each State should be allowed to noriiiriate its champion, and the events could be held annually at the Australian championship carnivals. I would suggest two events, one over 100 yards lin’d the other over 880 yards, so that both speed .lin'd stamina could be encouraged. The winners each year would possess an honour to be proud of, and something to induce them to gb further iri the game . after they left school. I do think this -would be one of the certain means of developing future champions ,laore than anything else. Tlfe riiatter should -be t.akeri up at once bv the New ; South Wales Association, so that,body seems to be the most alive of all the controlling organisations iri Australia. It would not be too late to include the championships at fhis year’s gathering of champions.” ' A CHILD WONDER. (Referee.) A Bondi youngster —a little girl named May Downie—is only 9 years Old and has improved her time over 50 yards by 10 sec. in the last two weeks. She covered the distance in a tick over 39sec. recently in winning her heat. The improvement is certainly wonderful, and may bO unprecedented, but I have come across instances almost similar.

Twenty years ago, in a certain club now’ merged in another,' there was a boy of 17 years who w r ent into the country for six months. Every day lie swam in' the Murrumbidgee, but duMiot realise that he had become so much faster. His handicap iri his club for 100 yafds before he w’ent to thd “bush” was Insec. .lie won five races on end over various distances, the last from scratch, before his victorious march w r as stopped. He improved his time from lri'vin 21see for the 100 yards to lmin nsec, and that is not a “fish yarn,” but absolute gospel. Hence I say that more latitude should be provided for exceeding the “speed limit, ’ ’ arid lads not have races taken from them when they manage to just win. VISITORS TO AUSTRALIA. The Referee says that the Japanese champion, Takaislii, whom ' it is intended to invite to Australia this season, had riot been located when the Referee tfent to press. Swimmiftg

officials were, however, more- hopefui., as they believed -they were on the track of the youth. The Ladies’ Association, oil the other hand-, is feeling iriucli more satisfied, for it lias received .adefinite acceptance to visit Australia from Marieschen Wehselau. It came by mail to Mr. H. R. Kelly, hori. secretary of the Australian Amateur Swimming Union, from Mrs. E. FullardLeo, hon. secretary of tho Hawaiian union. She describes Marieschen as'a splendid type of girl, who is . sure to he very popular in Australia. She is said to be m great form, and will be at her top when swimming in this country. x •'4®.. sobir as word is received froiri lakaisti, and there is no reason .to believe , the invitation will not be accepted, the success of the Association’s season will be assured, for the public has been educated to high-class competitive swimming, and will go in their thousands to see our champions opposed' to swimmers from other parts of the world. Takaishi will find formidable opposition in the'sprint distancesj and as he is only a bey he will be set a” big task. Still, he did well against' greater swimmers at the Olympic ifi lnes ’ evidently nossesses the phlegmatic temperament which characterises his race. ,