SWIMMING

Otago Witness, Issue 3860, 6 March 1928, Page 51

SWIMMING

By

NEPTUNE.

Mr Tom Batt, a well-known Dunedin sportsman, who is shortly leaving for Sydney, has made an offer to the Otago Swimming Centre of a handsome cup to be competed for annually in a three-mile race on the harbour. The president of the centre (Mr J. L. M'lndoe) has accepted the generous offer, and it is probable that the first contest for it will be swum before the end of the present eeasbn. OTAGO CENTRE MEETING. At a meeting of the Otago Swimming Centre last week the question of the Dominion Council’s choice of nominees to represent New Zealand at the Olympic g.imes was discussed. Mr MTndoe said that it had previously been decided to send D. P. Lindsay, Miss E. Stockley, »nd Miss K. Miller in that order. As events had proved, Misses Miller and Stockley had certainly prior right to oe chosen. Comparing Lindsay’s and Miss Miller’s times with the world’s records, Lindsay had come nowhere near them, whilst Miss Miller, in her last swim, had got within 7sec of world’s championship time.- If the council proposed sending swimmers who had a reasonable chance of getting a place, there could be no doubt as to the Otago girl’s claims, uid if New Zealand wanted to be on the map in the swimming world Misses Miller and Stockley were the ones to put her there. He moved—“ That a recommendation go forward to the New Zealand Council that the order of priority in the choice of New Zealand’s swimming representatives be—Miss Miller, Miss Stockley, and D. P. Lindsay.—Mr Hector seconded the motion.—Mr Saunders agreed that Lindsay should be picked last, but he did not think they should push their own sepresentative forward if it meant antagonising the other centres. —Mr Lewis laid they should battle for their own lepresentatives. If they did not no one rise would. Otago had been very “ soft ” in the past.—Mr James agreed with Mr lewis. Otago, he said, was always left, in any sport, and they should fight for their rights.—The motion was carried It was decided to launch an appeal for <he purpose of raising funds for Miss Miller’s expenses should she be chosen to iep resent New Zealand.

RECORDS BROKEN AT NAPIER. NAPIER, February 28. The Hawke’s Bay provincial swimming championships were opened at the Municipal Baths to-night in climatic Conditions which, to say the least, were not seasonable. This fact affected the attendance to a certain extent.- During the evening three records were □Token. all by local swimmers. G. Gleeson (Napier), in the schoolboys’ section, finished with two records to his Credit. • reducing the 50 yards Schoolboys’ championship time of 23 l-ssee by 3-ssec, and lowering the 150 yards’ time of 2min 71sec by 2 l-ssec. Miss M. Simmonds (Napier) put up a remarkable performance by the lowering of her own record for the ladies’ 100 yards. Being the only competitor, she swam unpaced, and did the distance in 71 l-ssec, 1 3-ssec better than the previous time. The most exciting finish of the evening was in the 100 yards men’s championship, Lound (Napier) beating D. M'Kcague (Gisborne) by half a foot, with Richardson (Gisborne) inches away third. D. Plank (Gisborne) annexed the 220 yards title in convincing style, the previous title-holder, Lambie (Napier) being last o' the field of seven. Russell (Napier) was second.

February 29. The championships were concluded in the ihunicipal baths to-day. The principal event of the evening, the 100yds men’s championship, was won by 0. Lound (Napier) by 2ft, with Richard- _ ion (Gisborne) second, and D. Plank (Gisborne) third. In the 75yds schoolboys’ chamnionship. G. Gleeson (Napier) and J. Heffernan (Hastings) dead-heated in 54 3-ssec to break the existing record by 6 2-ssec. , Miss N. Stevens (Queenswood School) lowered the 75vds schoolgirls’ championship shortly afterwards, doing the distance in 58see, the previous time being 59sec. Unpaced through a scarcitv of women Swimmers, Miss Simmonds (Napier) put im a splendid performance by breaking the 220yds ladies’ championship record in the fine time of 3min 7 3-ssec, the previous record being 3min 8 2-ssee. . The Gisborne team romped home in the Swain Memorial Cup relay race for teams by 7yds from Napier. The winders clipped 4 3-ssec off the record. WELLINGTON CHAMPIONSHIPS. WELLINGTON, March 1. The Wellington Amateur Swimming Centre conducted a carnival at the Lower Hutt Baths to-night, when several provincial championships were decided. , In an attempt to lower his record of 69 l-ssec for the 100 yards, B. Gallate, the New Zealand 100 and 22'0 yards junior fresh water record holder, succeeded in putting off a second. The results of the important events are as follow IGO Yards Provincial Championship.—W. Cameron 1, C Claridge 2, L. Least 3. Time, 61sec. Won by a foot. . 220 Yards Breast Stroke Provincial Championship.—W. Cameron 1, R. Spray 2, A. Hepburn 3. Time, 3min 31sec. Won by 2yds. 440 Yards Championship.—C. Claridge 1, ■j— Pelham 2, _ — Blakeley 3. Time. 6min 1 2-ssec. Claridge led all the way and won by 15yds.

_ NEW ZEALAND LADIES’ TOUR. SYDNEY, February 29. At the New South Wales women’s ewim--ferng championships, which were swum at

Coogee baths, the 100 Yards Backstroke resulted: —Miss Bonnie Mealing 1, Miss M. Mealing 2, Miss E. Brown 3. The winner led all the way after the first couple of yards. Won by 10yds. Time, lmin 15 3-ssec, beating Miss Ena Stockley’s previous record of lmin 20sec. There was much disappointment among the big attendance owing to Miss Stockley’s absence as the result of indisposition, an exciting battle between her and the winner being anticipated. 220 Yards Free Style.—Miss E. Davey 1, Miss Kathleen Miller 2, Miss B. Taw 3. Miss Miller led for the first 50yds, when Miss Davey joined her, and they swam together to the last 20yds. There was an exciting struggle to the finish, Miss Davey winning by a touch in 2min 52 l-ssec. Miss Miller took 2min 52 5-10 sec. Miss Stockley also competed in the race, but indisposition prevented her from showing her true form.

Swimming authorities claim that Miss Bonnie Mealing’s time of lmin 15 3-ssec is a world's record.

March 4. Ena Stockley and K. Miller participated in the swimming carnival ,at the Municipal Baths, Wellington, where they were, given a civic recention. Miss Stockley won tfie ladies’ 50yds scratch race, also the mixed relay race, £”d in the 50yds handicap did the best in