ENGLISH SWIMMING

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160794, 30 October 1920, Page 6

ENGLISH SWIMMING

A NEW DISTANCE MAN. ANNISON MORE THAN A ‘ SPRINTER, H. Annison, English sprint swimming champion, who followed Beaurepaira and Varnot home in their heat of the 1500 metres event at Antwerp, recently caused surprise in England by showing that his swimmming capabilities ’ were not confined to the sprinting that had hitherto been supposed to be his particular forte. “By his magnificent performance in the Southern Counties’ mile championship on Saturday,” said the Sporting Chronicle of July 10, Harold E. Annison, of Cipydon, present holder of the English sprint championship, has suddenly increased interest in distance racing. His win and the time will serve an exceedingly useful purpose, if only to provide an unexpected challenge to those people who insist that Jack Hatfield is the only swimmer in England with any pretensions to tackle Norman Ross. Few ever gave a thought to Annison turning out to be a capable - distance swimmer, for all his previous efforts beyond 440 yards have been in the Thames with tidal assistance (which is no real criterion of staying power), while his most enthusiastic supporters did not believe him capable of 24-43 for the mile. *' Annison crawled the entire distance, and maintained a remarkable uniformity of pace, as after turning at the first furlong in 2-40, subsequent furlong times were 3-6, 3-10- 3-10- 3-11, 3-13, and 3-3, and he did not have anyone near enough to pull out his reserve power.