Ngaire Lane’s Time For Breaststroke 3rd Best This Year

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 December 1947, Page 2

Ngaire Lane’s Time For Breaststroke 3rd Best This Year

A summary of performances at the European and American womens swimming championships shows that the time of 77sec. recorded by Miss Ngaire Lane (Dunedin), New Zealand wen en’s backstroke champion, over 100 metres is the third best recorded this year. Miss Lane's time is 1 l-ssec. slower than the winning time for the 100 metres backstroke event at the last Olympic Games. The 100 metres women's backstroke at the European championships in September of this year was won by M. Harrup (Denmark) in 75.9 seconds from Miss Cathie Gibson (England) 76.55ec and Mrs. Van Feggelen (Holland) 79sec. At the American championships in August, the 100 metres women's backstroke was won by Suzanne Zimmerman in 77.65ec. from Brenda Heiser and Mrs. Van Feggelen (Holland). Miss Lane's time is 1 l-ssec slower than that of M. Harrup (Denmark) a..a half a second slower than that of the 16-year-old English star, Miss Olsson. The time of 77sec. was the mark set by the New Zealand Swimming Council as a qualification for selection in the New Zealand team for the Olympic Games, for which Miss I-ane appears certain to be nominated. Should she be capable of further improvement she would appear to have every prospect of winning the 100 netres backstroke title at the Games.