SWIMMING TITLES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 13 January 1938, Page 12

SWIMMING TITLES

CHAMPIONSHIPS AT NEW PLYMOUTH NEWELL’S 440 YARDS RECORD THE FINAL EVENTS iKv IVeirranh Pr**«» AsunciaMnn NEW PLYMOUTH. 12th January. Exceptionally good racing marked the final night of the senior national swimming championships at New Plymouth to-night. L. Newell. Canterbury, broke the record in the men's 440yds, and L. Smith beat J. Davies in the 100yds breaststroke race by a touch in one of the closest finishes seen at the meeting. Auckland won the Yfaldhurst Shield for interprovincial competition.

The 440yds was expected to provide a thrilling contest, and for about half the journey this appeared likely, but thence Newell was the only man in it. He set a hard pace from the start, and though Symes and Pascoe were in front

of him for a little over two laps, he joined them at the 100yds, and a lap further on was in charge, just ahead of Hanan. who moved up quickly and was going so smoothly that he appeared likely to extend the champion. Newell was two yards in front of Hanan at 220yds, covered in 2.31. Shortly afterward Hanan smarted to tire, and Newell to draw away. He had to make his own pace, but he kept on increasing his lead and won by nearly 30 yards, in the record time of 5.10 2-5. or 3sec. bette# than the record established by G. Bridson in 1929. This was the third record of Bridson’s that Newell broke at the fixture. Pascoe. though he had no chance with Newell, swam a well-judg-ed race to fill second places. Symes. as in the 220 yards, beat Pennington for third. Hanan retired after 300 yards. Making her first appearance at the gathering. Miss S. Gotlieb. Wellington, retained her title in the women's 100 yds., though she was all out at the finish to score narrowly. Beginning smartly. Miss Gotlieb soon took charge and setting a smart pace cut out the first lap in 20sec to turn just in front of Miss Grey, Miss Purdie and Miss Coulthurst. Turning for the last time Miss Gotlieb was a yard and a half c 1..,, of Miss Purdie and Miss Coulthurst and appeared likely to win easily, but Miss Purdie and Miss Coulthurst Vi "th staged splendid efforts and in one of the best finishes of the fixture Miss Gotlieb lasted long enough to win by a touch from Miss Purdie, with Miss Coulthurst a similar distance away third. The 220yds women’s breaststroke produced a great duel between Miss W. Dunn, Otrjo. and Miss C. Lynch. Southland. Miss Dunn obtained a slight advantage early, but could not get away from the tenacious Southlander. Though Miss Lynch staged a desperate finish she was stil! half a yard behind at the finish. Miss Dunn’s time was only a second outside M" J. Webster’s record. Giving a wonderful display of fine, consistent diving. D. J. Ewart. Rotorua, outclassed his opponents. He was so

far away from D. Kerr, Nelson, his closest rival, at the completion of the fust night’s events, that it was clear that unless he made bad errors, he must win. The errors, however, did not The women’s 200yds backstroke was a walk-over for Miss Mona Leydon, who. taking things easily, covered the distance in 1 l-ssec below the standard time. N. Crump displayed too much pace for his opponents in the 50yds invitation event. He beat Frankham by two feet, with O’Driscoll a foot away and Symes right up fourth.

The 50yds women’s invitation event drew only two starters. Miss Coulthurst and Miss Purdie. Miss Coulthurst possessed too much pace for her opponent and won by over a yard.

The 100yds invitation breaststroke produced the finest finish of the night, with L. Smith obtaining his revenge on J. Davies by the narrowest of margins. At the final turn Davies and Horsfall were on terms just in front of Smith. In a great finish Davies and Smith drew out to fight a desperate finish. To the crowd Davies appeared to win, but Smith, an old campaigner, touched just before him under water. Results:— 440yds Men.—L. Newell. Canterbury, 1: A. W. Pascoe. Auckland. 2; D. H. Symes, Canterbury, 3. Time, 5.10 2-5 —a New Zealand record. 100yds Women. —Miss S. Gotlieb. Wellington. 1: Miss I. Purdie, Otago, 2: Miss V. Coulthurst, Auckland. 3. Time. 66. 220yds Women’s Breaststroke. —Miss W. Dunn. Otago. 1; Miss C. Lynch, Southland. 2; Miss J. Glasgow, Wanganui. 3. Time, 3.24 3-5. 50yds Men’s Invitation Scratch Race. —N. Crump. Auckland. 1; R. B. Frank* bam, Auckland. 2; J. D. O’Driscoll, Otago. .3. Time. 25. 50yds Women’s Invitation Scratch Race.—Miss V. Coulthurst, Auckland, 1: Miss I. Purdie. Otago. 2. 100yds Men’s Breaststroke Invitation Scratch Race.—L. Smith, Wanganui, 1; J. Davies. Taranaki, 2: H. Horsfall, Canterbury. 3. Time, 76 3-5. 200 Metro* Women’s Backstroke. —

Miss M. Leydon, Auckland. Time, 3.23 4-5. The only starter. Men’s Diving Championship.—D. J. Ewart, 113.28 points, 1: A. Branks. Southland, 85.15 points, 2; D. Kerr, Nelson, 84.03 points, 3. 500yds Flying Squadron Inter-centre Relay (teams of five).—Auckland the only starter. In the final of the water polo match for the Dominion premiership, Otago beat Taranaki 6-0. EMPIRE GAMES TEAM SELECTED NEW PLYMOUTH, This Day. The New Zealand swimming team for the British Empire Games was. finally announced last night following the completion of the national senior swimming championships at New Ply-

mouth. The final selection is: Women— Miss O. Rix (Otago), springboard diving: Miss Mona Leydon (Auckland), 440 yards freestyle; Miss J. MacDonald (Southland). 110 yards backstroke: Miss W. Dunn (Otago). 220yds breaststroke. Men—P. Hanan (Auckland). 110yds freestyle: J. C. W. Davies (New Plymouth). 220yds breaststroke: L. Newell (Canterbury), ‘oyds and 1650 yards freestyle; N. Crump (Auckland), 110 yds men’s freestyle.