EMPIRE GAMES PROSPECTS

Southland Times, Issue 23308, 18 September 1937, Page 20

EMPIRE GAMES PROSPECTS

DOMINION’S FINE SWIMMERS

New Zealand will be strongly represented in the swimming events at the Empire Games in Sydney in February next (states a British Empire Games bulletin). Already a team of eight, including four men and four women, has been chosen tentatively, and, proyiding swimmers of the declared standard develop before the closing of entries in December, the team will be increased in number to 10. ' The team tentatively chosen includes P. Hanan and R. B. Frankham, both of Auckland and sprinters of undoubted ability. Hanan recently swam 110 yards in 0.64 4-5, which is but 0.0 1-5 outside Billy Kendall’s Australian record. Frankham is very little slower than Hanan. Peter Mathieson, of Dunedin, will contest the back stroke 110yds event. Since his return from Australia two years ago Mathieson has improved greatly, and should extend the speediest exponents of back stroke in the Empire today. It will be remembered that during his Australian visit Mathieson bettered the Australian back stroke records for 220 yards and 440 yards. J. C. W. Davies (Taranaki) will compete in the 220 yards breast stroke championship, and should give a splendid account of himself. Of the women swimmers chosen, Miss Mona Leydon, of Auckland, the Dominion middle and distance champion and record holder, is the most famous. During her visits to Sydney a few years ago Mona Leydon more than held her own with our speediest girl swimmers, and she has improved greatly since her return home. Seriously handicapped by a withered leg, the New Zealand champion may surprise in the 440 yards free style event for women in February. Nancy Ludlow, also of Auckland, is a fine allround swimmer. Faster than Miss Leydon over 100 yards, she is very little slower than the champion over 440 yards and will compete in both events in February. Islay Purdie hails from Dunedin, and is regarded as the most promising woman swimmer in New Zealand today. Only 17 years of age, she has been competing for three years and holds the New Zealand 100 yards intermediate record of 0.64 4-5. How promising a distance swimmer she is may be gathered from the fact that in her first race over 440 yards Miss Purdie was beaten by a few inches by Miss Ludlow in the fine ' time of 5.52, just 0.5 outside Mona Leydon s Dominion record. Miss Gwen Rix, of Dunedin, will be New Zealand’s only representative in the diving events. Miss Rix will contest the springboard diving championship, and in the opinion of Mr Dudley Hellmrich (the famous Australian swimming coach) who saw Miss Rix dive on several occasions in New Zealand last summer, she is a potential Empire champion. It is to be regretted that the little 13 years old Maori girl, Newi Kira, of Rotorua, has not been selected in the team, but it is understood that this speedy child will be given an opportunity of displaying her speed before the final selection, when the question of choosing a fourth representative for the 440 yards teams’ relay championship will be considered.