SWIMMING TITLES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22346, 18 February 1936, Page 12

SWIMMING TITLES

FINALS AT DUNEDIN MISS M. LEYDON'S SUCCESS [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION'] DUNEDrN", MondayFurther finals in the New Zealand senior swimming championships were swum this evening. Swimming in the 150 yards backstroke championship, P. E. Mathieson (Otago).put up tbe most outstanding performance of the evening, clipping three seconds off the Dominion record. His time was lm. 42 2-ss. L. Newell (Canterbury) put up a brilliant performance to win the half-mile, and D. H. Symes (Canterbury) won the 220 yards. Miss M. Levdon (Auckland) retained the 440 yards ladies' title and Miss N. Basstian (Southland) won the 100 yards Indies' backstroke. ' Otago is leading in the Yaldhurst Shield with 33 points, Auckland is next with 26, Canterbury 15, Southland 10, Wanganui 5. The 220 yards men's final proved an excellent struggle between the cream of New Zealand swimmers, D. H. Symes (Canterbury) putting up a wonderful performance to beat the Auckland flier R. B. Frankham by two feet. N. Crump (Auckland) was third. The finalists were Symes, Crump. E. B. Toaso Otago), P. Hanan (Auckland), W. J. Jarvis (Otago) and Frankham. Svmes' time was 2m. 28 4-ss, compared with Crump's New Zealand record of 2m. 225., established in 1934. By winning the 440 yards ladies' catnpionship, thus retaining the title for that distance, Miss Mona Levdon (Auckland) proved beyond doubt that she is tho finest woman free-style swim•mer in the Dominion. Getting away to a bad start she had made up the leeway by the time a lap had been covered and from this stage swam a beautifully judged race, finishing with plenty in hand, seven yards ahead of Miss M. B. Mathieson (Otago). Tho time was 6m. 5 4-55., compared with the record established by Miss Levdon earlier in tho season of sm. 47 l-ss.