SWIMMING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13479, 4 May 1907, Page 8

SWIMMING.

It was decided at the annual -meeting of file English Amateur Swimming Association that standing upon the bottom of a bath by a competitor does not disqualify him. The standard time for 200 yds breaststroke championship has been extended from 3m. to 3m. 10s. Swimming costumes may be presented as prizes. They are not wearing apparel. The English A.S.A. has decided to make a call of 4s per club in order to entertain the foreign competitors in the Olympic games in 1908. In addition to high diving, fancy diving, and international water polo, the following distance races have been decided upon:—100 metres, 400 metres, 1500 metres, : ' 200 metres (team). 200 metres (breast), and 100 metres (back). The proposition introduced by the Northern Counties Association at the annual mooting of the English Association, that a championship be instituted for amateurs and professionals to compete together from any part of the world, the prizes to be medals similar to those used in the English championships, was lost. .. J. Thompson (the one-legged champion of Rockhampton, Central Queensland), has created a world's record in swimming on his back, for half-mile. Harry Gurr. England, swam the distance in 17m. 295. on June 1, 1865. Five others started with Thompson, all using the trudgeon stroke, with the exception of Thompson, who swam right through the race on his back and overlapped two of the swimmers six times, and three, others four times. Thompson's time was 15m. 52fe., thus breaking the world's record by 375. It' was a splendid performance, especially for a man considerably short of the equipment most material to swimmers, viz., leg power. Of Springfield's mile swim the Brisbane Sports Observer says:—" F. W. Springfield once more asserted his title to Australasian champion, covering three-quarters of a mile in 18m. 75., thus chipping 2-ss. off the world's record, established by R. Healy shortly before in Sydney. The record was broke in a mile handicap.