SWIMMING NOTES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 7 January 1944, Page 2

SWIMMING NOTES

NELSON CENTRE REPRESENTATIVES TRAINING FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS The Nelson Swimming Centre’s selected representative team for the national championships is in hard training and this is reflected in the improved form being shown each day. It is unfortunate that war conditions preclude the holding of the men’s senior championships, as L. Barry, last year’s intermediate champion, is in excellent form and would set the best sprinters in the country a merry pace. Joyce Carpenter, who, at the last championships, held at New Plymouth, won the intermediate girls’ diving title and also gained the Brown Cup, for plain diving against all comers, is again at the height of her form and it will be a really good diver that beats her at Auckland. Ngaia Gibbs, backstroke contender, is speeding up her arm stroke and getting more pace. She is likely to meet some hot opposition and will need all the pep she can muster. Ursula Walker is rapidly regaining her old form which brought her into the limelight as an intermediate. Mary Nisbet shows good form and pluck as a diver, but has not yet gained the same finish and experience as Joyce Carpenter. Edith Nisbet is showing stamina as a distance contender, and will set the opposition a hard task to beat her in the 440yds ladies’ championship. Ngaire Dixon, who is in the W.A.A.C.’s in Christchurch has obtained the necessary leave and is reported to be getting in some hard training. She will be close up in the ladies’ breaststroke event. Helen Smith, nominee for the intermediate girls’ breaststroke event, is showing a marked improvement in form. Joycelyn Hurst, who will appear in the intermediate girls’ freestyle events, is also swimming nicely. Joan Kotua, who is the backstroke entrant for the intermediate girls’ event, has a nice style and, like Ngaia Gibbs, only needs to get more pep into her stroke to be a likely winner. P. Kotua, intermediate boys’ freestyle representative is doing steady work and shows excellent promise. The intermediate boys, D. Field and R. J. Methven, and junior boy, B. Coleman, who have been added to the team since the original selection, are also in hard work and should derive valuable experience from the trip. June Harris, intermediate girls’ diving nominee, has been indisposed but is expected to be working again on the board next week. VISIT TO WELLINGTON On the occasion of the trip to Wellington last month the Nelson team more than held its own with the Wellington representatives, and made a very good impression with the public, and it is confidently felt that they will leave their mark on the Auckland meeting. The team will make its final appearance. before leaving for Auckland, at a carnival at the municipal baths on Wednesday night next, when the public will have *an opportunity of seeing them in action at the top of their form. A special diving exhibition will provide a display equal to any that can be seen anywhere in the Dominion. It is expected that teams from the local Air Force Station will also be competing.