TARANAKI REPRESENTATIVES

Taranaki Daily News, 24 January 1934, Page 3

TARANAKI REPRESENTATIVES

SWIMMING CHAWIONSHIPS NO TITLES; GOOD EXPERIENCE. Although its representatives returned without winning any championships, Taranaki’s contingent at the national junior and intermediate swimming championships at Palmerston North on Friday, Saturday and Monday came back with memories of some fine swimming and experience that should help not a little in their development. The representatives were B. Milne and L. Charters, of the Fitzroy Club, J. Neville, New Plymouth, and Miss Jean Alleman, Inglewood, with Mr. F. J. Eggleton, New Plymouth, as team manager. A party of East End Club members, comprising L. Eddleston, W. Coleman and L. Riley, all youths, previously cycled to Palmerston North with the object of seeing the swimming and competing in handicap events. They camped outside Palmerston North. For Eddleston and Coleman the trip was not without success, for both won one handicap event, while Riley went close to'another. The presence of some brilliant young swimmers, including Noel Crump, the Aucklander, W. Johnston, also of Auckland, and Sydney Jarvis, a 15-year-old Dunedin boy, made the fields too hot for the Taranaki representatives, who did, however, create a fine impression. So good an impression, as a matter of fact, that Mr. W. Fitzsimmons, a professional coach stationed at Invercargill, spent at least an hour with the team, giving members the benefit of his long experience. Even in so short a time he managed to improve the strokes a good deal.

The team left New Plymouth last Friday morning, arrived at Palmerston North soon after one o’clock and took part in events that afternoon and evening. In Milne’s case the car ride affected his swimming and although, according to the Manawatu Daily Times, he swam a “plucky” race, a bout of carsickness effectively prevented his obtaining a place in the heat of the 440 yards. Neville swam third in his heat, Johnson being the winner. Milne swam in Crump’s heat, the Aucklander triumphing over Jarvis in fast time. Miss Alleman reached the final of the 100 yards junior girls’ championship, but she had no chance against Miss D. Symon, Southland, who won in 71 2-ss. Milne did succeed in an event on that day, tieing with J. Coates in the final of the 66 2-3 yards men’s A grade handicap, the time being 425. On the Saturday Miss .'Alleman, who prior to leaving Taranaki had established fast times in the 50 yards, entered the final of the juniot girls’ 50 yards, swimming second to Miss J. Melhose, Auckland, in a good race, the time of which was 34 l-ss. Miss Symon again showed splendid form in the final, winning easily in 30 4-55., a time which is two or three seconds faster than the Taranaki ladies’ record, and altogether too fast for Miss Alleman, a girl of barely fourteen, who swam unplaced. Neville was third in his heat of the 100 yards, but was not in the final. In a handicap event of 220 yards he swam second to another Taranaki swimmer, Coleman, who received 70s. Neville’s handicap was 225. On Monday, the final day, Neville gained second place in the third heat of the intermediate boys’ 220 yards, but as his heat was the slowest he was not included in the final. Milne was a competitor in the first heat, being unsuccessful in gaining a place. Miss Alleman was second in the open dive, and as a conclusion of the carnival Taranaki was third in the 200 yards relay for teams of six, won by Hokowhitu, Palmerston North.

The boys returned yesterday, accompanied by Mr. Eggleton and Mr. J. F. Devine, secretary to the Taranaki Swimming Centre, who was present during the championships,