SWIMMING.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14233, 5 March 1914, Page 8

SWIMMING.

HARDWICK DEFEATS CHAMPION. (Per United Press Association.! AUCKLAND, March 4. The swimming gala which is being- held under the auspices of tl'.e Auckland Centre of the N.Z.A.S.A., and which was rendered notable by the presence of half a dozen Australian crack swimmers, including the champions Harold Hardwick and Miss Fanny Durack, opened last night. Miss Durack missed a place in her heat of the ladies' 36 yards dash by a bare touch after giving away lOsec to the young lady who beat her. The meeting of the champion New Zealand crack and Harold Hardwick, the Australian champion, in the 220 yards handicap, excited chief interest. Both wefe in the first heat. Champion had a start of 4sec. The New Zealander trudged away with a quick stroke right from the jump, whereas Hardwick did the first hundred yards with the exhausting crawl stroke, which, however, brought him to Champion’s heels, whereupon he changed to a long, clean, steady trudge, and though he was kicking only two to Champion’s three, he forged up inch by inch, drawing level at 200 yards. There was just a touch in Hardwick’s favour at the winning rope. In the final Champion did not compete, and Hardwick was just beaten by C. Linton, who had lOsec start.