SWIMMING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8681, 14 March 1914, Page 14

SWIMMING

(By “Ripple.”)

The visit to New Zealand of Harold Hardwick, of Sydney, is a circumstance of great moment to all swimmers. Hardwick has an imposing record ; he was the doyen of Ids home State, holding the various championships of New South Wales ranging from 100 yards to ono mile, from 1909 to 1912. In 1911 he won three Australian championships, the 220, 440 and 880 yards, and in the same year, at the British Empire Festivals in London he secured the 100 yards championships of the Empire—to which he still holds the title—and established a record for the race. He also annexed the 100, 220 and 440 yards championships of England. Talcing part in the Olympic Games at Stockholm in 1913, he was third in the 400 metres and 1500 metres world’s championships, and he was a member of the Austra* lasian team which won the 800 metres championship. Since visiting New Zealand he has maintained his reputation, and at Auckland lie conceded Malcolm Champion 4 seconds and beat him, in a 223 yards’ race. A scratch race of 100 yards and a 440 yards’ contest also went to his credit. On that occasion it was noticed, in. the finishing stages of his race with Champion, that although he was getting through the water faster, he was swimming only two strokes to Champion’s three. ■ On Thursday night at the Te Aro baths, Hardwick made a great impression by putting up an unofficial record of 58 *2-ssec for the 100 yards, in the invitation race, and winning the 220 yards by a big margin in 2min 34 "4-ssec, thereby lowering the local centre’s standard by 15 3-ssec.: He had only arrived by train from Auckland the same day, and Iwdl to swim under' conditions that might have been expected-to induce a certain amount of stiffness, but, as ho, after-, wards confessed, in regard to tho 100 yards’ race, he surprised himself. There were only four in this event, the copetitors being Ijovy, McCarlie, Fordham and Hardwick, who left tho board in that order. The champion’s style was the point on which most interest was focussed. Ho displayed a long, sweeping arm-stroke of groat power, accompanied by a peculiar leg action which appeared to propel him through the water with much precision. Following the strong reach, of the arm, he lifted his left leg right above the surface and got in a very effective kick; the sound of which was quite noticeable round the baths. Levy led tor more than half the distance, but gave way to McCarlie and Fprdham. and at 75 yards Hardwick was in the lead by a yard. Although the Australian slackened, he finished with about three lengths to spare, and broke Champion’s New Zealand record of 61sec, and the 60 2-sseo recorded by Solomons, of Sydney, when he visited tho Dominion. Hardwick’s time, however, cannot be taken as an official record, because the conditions were not those requisite for the purpose, the starting board not being three feet above tho watermark. Had the regulations been observed, a record would have been made beyond the possibility of a doubt, as the visitor finished comparatively fresh, and believed he could have broken 58scc. Fordham, who was second in the hundred, was responsible for a fin© and neat display. The 220 yards handicap was contested by ten swimmers, and the limitt man, L. Silver, had reached the 50 yards turn when Hardwick took his plunge, but the'latter was only 25 yards behind hiiii at the 75 yards mark, and at the 100 yards was well up with the school. After he took the turn at the 150 yards he had the lead, and at tho. 200 yards was over a length to the good. Ho steadily increased this lead, though without great effort, and at the finish had left Newman nearly three lengths behind. The champion is a clean-living man. with a pleasant personality, and his visit will be remembered with interest by local swimmers. The Thorndon Club have this year dispensed with the formality of holding an afternoon gala with its attendant ■ worries and possible financial losses. Instead a' series of informal. Saturday afternoon “at homes” have been arranged. This afternoon the club yvill, as on previous Saturday afternoons, hold a couple of races, one for ladies and the other for men, and provide afternoon tea. The scheme has proved most successful, and, granted fine weather this afternoon, another enjoyable outing should result. Speaking of the great race that ensued in Auckland recently between Champion and Hardwick, the Auckland “Herald” says:—“On Thursday evening Hardwick gave a magnificent exhibition in the 440yds, in which event both he and Champion started off scratch. Barely has it been the good fortune of Aucklanders, or New Zealanders as a whole, to see such a great race between two such giants in the swimming world. Hardwick at once rushed to the front and gained a lead of 2yds on the New Zealand champion, and then the race began in grim earnest. Lap after lap was covered with hardly any alteration in the positions of the two men, though Champion reduced the gap by about half a yard. It was at the turns that the Sydney man gained his advantage, though Champion generally made up the deficiency in tho 36yds straight. Neck and neck they raced, with Hardwick just a yard in .front, until the last lap was reached. Champion again lost at the turn, and Hardwick led by nearly 3yds when the pair turned to fight out the last Syds. Champion made a great effort, but the Australian touched the rope Syds to the good. Wild enthusiasm followed, each man being cheered to the echo, and the applause was renewed when the time was announced —smin 33sec. Hardwick thus came within a very short distance of his own best performance—smin 30sec —and lowered the New Zealand record by over 2sec.” Apparently a most versatile young lady in all things connected with the natatorial sport is Miss Fanny Durack, the world’s champion lady swimmer. The neat dive at the Auckland gala, at which this young lady appeared recently, was somewhat exceptional (says the Auckland “Herald”) in that the competitors included a lady, needless to say. Miss Durack. A small boy dived exceedingly neatly, and won the frequent applause of the audience, who resented the decision when the Sydney girl was awarded first place. There was, however, no doubt about the correctness of the decision. Miss Durack’s flight and recovery were irreproachable, and she was an easy winner. The public evidently judged on the amount of splash the competitors made, without taking into consideration the size of the various divers, or their methods. ■ It Is not generally known that Caughey, the American athlete, is a swimmer of some note. Speaking of Caughey’s aquatic powers, a writer in the Sydney “Referee,” who participated in a harbour excursion tendered to the Americans during their stay in Sydney, say*:. —“In the course of

the outing we visited Mr Sid Eve’s Spit baths, for the purpose of having a dip. Caughey has immense limbs, and when ho gets them rapidly in motion ho churns up the element like, n paddlewheel steamer. He swims with his head buried, like most of his countrymen, and uses the independent leg action, now becoming familiar in Australia. Field athletes and swimmers, of course, train on entirely different lines, and when taking that into consideration, Caughey impressed me as one who, if he devoted himself seriously to it, could effect great improvement, and become a front-rank sprint distance swimmer. When I heard he had been conceded 12sec in a 66yds handicap, I felt convinced that he would win, and, moreover, win easily, which is what occurred. He covered the two laps in 43 4-sscc, without exerting himself. Caughey is a great enthusiast and intends, so he told me, to retire from the form of sport he has been so conspicuously successful in for six months, and practise swimming exclusively on his return to America.”

Leo. Levy, of the Hawthorn Swimming Club (Melbourne), last season attempted a swim of nine miles in the Yarra, and failed only by . about yards. Recently, he tried again, and was successful, completing the distance in 4h 46min 16sec. There were four stoppages of 30 seconds each during the journey, when stimulants were administered. Members of the Hawthorn Club accompanied the swimmer in relays.