SWIMMING AND DIVING

Southland Times, Issue 21263, 9 December 1930, Page 10

SWIMMING AND DIVING

AN UNUSUAL EXHIBITION. An unusual attraction was provided at the Tepid Baths last evening, when a remarkable display of swimming and diving was given by Zimmy, the American legless swimmer. Zimmy, who was born without legs m America in 1893, is splendidly developed physically in other respects, and despite his disability he appears to be as happy as can be. Though he is necessarily handicapped to a certain extent by the absence of legs, he made wonderfully good use of his hands and arms, and performed some remarkable achievements iu the water. After balancing his body on his hands last night, and making two or three hard swings, he dived into the water and first of all gave an exhibition of floating with his hands beside him and subsequently folded across his chest. In these positions, so he informed' a reporter who was an interested spectator of the unusual feats, ho could float for hours. One peculiarity demonstrated was that as soon as he put his hands behind his head he lost his balance and turned a somersault. One of the most astonishing of his performances was his climbing the ladder to the springboard from which he neatly dived on several occasions. All his work was carried out in a most attractive manner and apparently with a minimum of effort, and every movement was watched with keen interest by the crowd of swimmers present.