Valued Contribution To Swimming

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31007, 12 March 1966, Page 11

Valued Contribution To Swimming

QN the eve of his retirev ment from competitive swimming, W. P. Brown has received two official acknowledgements which illustrate the value of his conttibution to the sport.

One Is the belated recognition of hi's 220 yards breaststroke time of 2min 50.7 sec, recorded at the provincial championships, as a Canterbury record; the other is a letter of commendation from the centre for his part in the rescue of a fellow Canterbury swimmer, Therese Jones, from the sea at Napier on February 27.

Brown’s time for 220 yards was not recognised at the time of the championships, because the record book showed the standing figure to be 2min 50sec. The record, iu fact, was 2min

53sec. set by Brown at the 1965 meeting. Last summer he won all the senior and junior breaststroke titles at the Canterbury championships and set new marks in each event. This year he improved both his senior times markedly—but his junior records fell to J. Edmonds, who went on to capture two New Zealand titles in the stroke at Napier. Brown has always been popular with his fellow swimmers because of his modesty and his level-beaded approach to the sport. He is a fine advertisement for swimming, uot only for his exploits in the pool, but also for the speed and skill he displayed when a girl's life was in danger at Napier. This was a first-class illustration of the wider application of swimming ability and knowledge, and its value as a public example should not be forgotten. The 17-year-old Brown will turn now to Rugby as a relaxation from h|s studies—he is back row forward in the Xavier College Ist VX. If he had the chance, he says, he would play Rugby all the year round.