MISS KATHLEEN MILLER BACK FROM AUSTRALIA

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18419, 22 March 1928, Page 8

MISS KATHLEEN MILLER BACK FROM AUSTRALIA

LADY CHAMPION WILL SWIM IN CHRISTCHURCH. Miss Kathleen Miller, New Zealand distance swimming champion and Olympic nominee, passed through Christchurch this morning en route for Dunedin after her successful tour in Australia. Mrs Miller, who accompanied Miss Millfer and Miss Stockley on their Australian trip, said

that both girls swam remarkably well. It came as a distinct shock to the Australians, she said, to find that Miss Miller was superior to Miss Edna Davey. Before the arrival of the New Zealand girls Miss Davey had been winning her races by such great margins that the visit of Misses Miller

and Stockley was expected to do nothing more than demonstrate her international superiority. “The first quarter-mile race in Sydney,” said Mrs Miller, “was very thrilling. Miss Davey had a good lead at the last turn, and I thought Kathleen was beaten, but she came up like a flash over the last lap.” From that time there was never any doubt about the superiority of the Dunedin girl. Her final race against Miss Davey, in the 220yds championship of New South Wales, was very unsatisfactory. A head-on. collision with another competitor stopped Miss Miller and permitted Miss Davey to take the lead. The New Zealander, however, made up the leeway and was first home, but was unlucky to miss the touch. Her arm was actually over the finishing board when Miss Davey touched, but the judge's verdict was given to the Australian girl. The tour was notable, said Mrs Miller, for the remarkable sprinting of Miss Stockley, who was in a class by herself in all her races. She improved greatly during the tour and swam throughout better than she had ever done previously. A surprise of the tour was the fact that Miss Miller was able to swim second to Miss Stockley in the 100yds championship of Australia. Miss Miller took part in this race only because there was rio middle-distance event for her to contest on that day, but nobody thought that she would be able to beat the best of the Australian sprinters. However, she did so, decisively. Mrs and Miss Miller were met on their arrival this morning by Mr W. S. Burford, honorary secretary of the Canterbury Centre N.Z.A.S.A., who arranged for Miss Miller to pay a visit tc Christchurch at Easter prior to her departure for the Olympic Games. In Christchurch Miss Miller will attack the 880yds record.