SWIMMING

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 7 January 1928, Page 11

SWIMMING

CURRENT COMMENT. WANGANUI CHAMPIONS. (By “Narwhal.”) H Dowsett, Wanganui swimmer, in the absence of A. D. Adamson, of Auckland, who was last year’s champion, is so far the best bet for the 100 yards event at Dunedin this month. Both Miss Natalie Stratton and A. Dowsett should worthily represent Wanganui at the New Zealand championships. . During the opening programme or the Wanganui championships' on Wednesday night, Miss Stratton shattered two records. Swimming in the 100 yards ladies’ championship, she broke Miss Whyman’s -record of 77 3-ssec. by .5 3-ssec. Miss Stratton held the title last year. In the 220 yards intermediate girls’ championship Miss Stratton broke her own record of 3min. 29 3-5 see., covering the distance in 3min. !1 S 2-sscc. CANTERBURY’S EXPONENT. As an all-round swimmer, D. P. Lindsay of the East Christchurch Club, is recognised as one. of the finest that the Dominion has. turned out. Enthusiasm and consistent training have developed his natural ability, -until Camterbui y possesses in him a swimmer wnom no one else can touch over the distances. Not only is he the present New Zealand champion over 220yds, 440yds, 880yds and mile, but he also holds the Dominion records for the last three distances. His Canterbury record of GO 4-osee for the 100yds, made in 192 G. still stands. As an exponent of the crawl stroke he is in a class by himself. Not satisfied with -his achievements up to the -prosent, -lie is turning liis (attention towards the backstroke, and is said to be. attaining an efficiency that promises to .five the present backstroke “cracks some little concern when lie pits himself against them. His first appearapvc in a championship meeting was at vYn-no-aimi, in 1924, when ho represented South Canterbury as an intermediate. He first represented Canterbury as a senior in the 1925 championships, and at present is the province’s -best prospect for the coming Dominion chain-, pionships at Dunedin. On Thursday, Norman Dowsett pur up a new fresh water record for the lf)0 yards. The New Zealand -record is 61 i-ss.ee., which Dowsett lowered by four-fifths of a second.

AUSTRALIAN STARS. One thousand and sixty-five entrie.-> have been received for North Bondi Surf Club’s carnival which opens today. Manly Surf Life-Saving Club has entered Andrew (“Boy”) Charlton for the Alarm Reel Race and E. Henry for Open Surf Race. Charlton, the Australian crack of last, season, concerning whos-c reappearance, in big competitions some doubt -was recently expressed, is one of the New South Welshmen nominated to appear in. the 200, 400 and 1500 (metres- free style events during the Australian Nation Games swimming trials to be beld on January 11 and 14. ANOTHER CHARLTON. Manly has produced another swimmer who, -experts think, may emulate the sensational performances of Andrew Charlton within the next year, Ihe new star, Noel (“Billy”) Hymn, is « pupil -of Sydney High School, a lb-year-old -lad cast in a light mould, but whose heart is as big as a lion’s, and whose stamina is astonishing (says the Sydney “Referee”). , QOn “Billy Ryan,” a protege of 1920 Australian Olympic representative. Harry Hay, first attracted attention by winning the junior open surf race ar Bondi surf carnival on December 3 last. ■Ryan’s age was questioned, and at wns found that lie had not attained the age of 16. This being so, he was noi eligible to participate in surf life-sav-in.g competitions, and he was therefore deprived of the trophy won at Bondi. In order that the youth should not be debarred from competing at North Shore Club’s carnival, on December It. Ryan, who had attained his 16th -birthday on December 10, was specially examined prior to the carnival, -granted his surf bronze medallion, and showed his appreciation by carrying off his second junior surf race from a big field of lads'much older and bigger than lnmself. . , T, At Dee AVhy Surf carnival on December 24,' young Ryan again proved too good for the opposition in the junior surf race, thus winning three races m as many starts. In the baths his career has boon equally brilliant. At Technical High School carnival on December G, Ryan -won the 440 yards event in Gmin 3Sscc. and the experts began to sit up and take -stock. On December 9 the Manly speedster got busy again, and, at Combined High Schools’ carnival, at the Domain Baths-, swam second m the 50 yards, won- the 100 yards junior title in 65 2-ssee., won heat and final of the 2,20 yards junior championship in 2min 45 2-ssee. and 2min 47 l-ssec., and the 440 yards- final in smin 49 2-ssec. His 220 yards heat time bettered the record for the race by 7 l-10sec, and his 440 yards time obliterated three -records O. Griffith’s junior high school -by-35 3-ssec v E. Henry’s senior record by 8 1-lOscc., and the senior record of JBarratt, established a little earliei in the same day. On December 13, at the Public Schools’ A.A.A. Carnival, at the Domain Baths, Ryan caused a mild sensation by easily defeating the senior High Schools’ champion and record holder, Jack Barratt, of Lismore, in the 220 yards Kieran Memorial scratch race for the Rawson Cup in 2min 40sec, bettering the record for the event by -0 see. an-d the High Schools’ record by 2sec. Ryan’s most notable performance, however, was his winning of the State 220 yards junior championship from ' Cecil'Light,' at Manly, on December 21. I Light won the heat in 2min 35 2-s»ee., 1 as against, Ryan’s 2min 41 l-ssec, but. lie turned the -tables on Light. in the final and won tlie title in 2min 36 l-o , see.

Rvnn is indeed a youth of Taro promise. and as his time for the furlong is within a few seconds of the best put. up by any of the seniors this season, it is quite on the cards' that he will improve sufficiently to entitle him for consideration as an Olympic representative, p.yn.n was last week selected by the A .S.A. to take part in the 200 metres event, to be swum at the Australian National Games.