CHAMPION SWIMMERS

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 19515, 2 March 1935, Page 11

CHAMPION SWIMMERS

TAR IS AND POUSSARD. i APPEARANCE AT HAMILTON. | CENTRE PROGRAMME DRAWN UP. I ; j Fresh from competition with the j Australian champions, the two French j swimming stars, Jean Tat’is and Emile Poussard will make the second appearance of their New Zealand tour at Hamilton on Tuesday night. Under the auspices of the South Auckland Centre an invitation carnival is to be held and the visitors will compete against the pick of the South Auckland swimmers. 'There is a possibility that W. Jarvis, the New Zealand sprint champion, may be a participant, while it is also understood that D. 11. Symes, the j national middle distance title-holder j will be appearing. If these plans mature it will be interesting to see how the Dominion’s best compare with overseas stars. 'Large entries have ‘been received for the events from local swimmers and, when the executive committee of South Auokland Centre met last evening, It was faced with a difficult task in selecting the fastest entrants for the carnival. From the class of talent that Is offering and the ready patronage that has been ’offered by the country as well as the Hamilton clubs, It would appear that the Helds engaged will be the strongest available in the centre territory. Taris In Australia. Tarls, who has been the holder of five world’s middle-distance records, has been a warm favourite with the Australian crowds and the magnifloent ovations* that ho received for his performances at the Ns\v South Wales State championships were an indication of his ability and popularity. He had a great race with Noel Ryan in the 440 yards championship and despite the fact that he lost a lot of ground at the start through being the slowest to enter the water, he came in only 4-sths second behind the great Australian. It was a remarkable .performance.

Poussard, in his versatility, his faultless precision and his amazing confidence Is said to baffle description. At Sydney last week he won the State Springboard Diving Championship with 100.8 points, leading the famous Trickle by a margin of three points. A correspondent of the Waikato Times described bis performance as remarkable and unlike anything ever witnessed in the country. Prior to leaving France Taris promised M. Ilermant, his coach, that he would not lake part in long distance, races while in Australasia. Ilermant ‘desires that Taris should concentrate on the 400 metres in which he will again represent France at the Berlin Olympia. Taris departed from his promise and competed in the ‘BBO yarcls and one mile championships in Australia In order to oblige the Victorian Amateur Swimming Association which brought him to the country, but he says that he has quite made up his mind about future programmes. It. was, therefore, fortunate that in arranging the evening’s programme for Tuesday the centre decided that a 440 yards Invitation handicap would be most suitable for the Frenchman. The Chinese breaststroke swimmer, Kowk Chun Hang, was also to have appeared on the same programme, but he has been unable to come to New Zealand and is to return to China from Australia.