KIWI SWIMMERS DO WELL IN JAPAN

Chronicle (Levin), 1 October 1947, Page 2

KIWI SWIMMERS DO WELL IN JAPAN

4 . V - (Oiiicial New Zealand . Correspondent witli J Force). IWAKUNI, Sept. 28. . Tliougli. finishing fourth witli 11 points, the 2nd. N.Z.E.F. swiinming tearn produced a sterling performance in the B.G.O.F. inter-formation swiinniing gala field yesterday in Iwakuni. At the' beginning of th6 last cvent, the 20U nietr'es relay, the points were so disposed that had the Kiwis won, the 34th Australian Brigade come seeond and the British Connnonwealtfi Base at Kure third, all the tcams would have iinished with 15 points each. As it liappened Base won with the 34th Brigade and New Zealanders seeond and tliird, inaking the linal victory a tie between the 34tK Brigade and Base, wlio held 17 points each. B.O.Air took third plaee with 15. The star Kiwi at the meeting was, as expeeted, Sergeant Harry Bean, of Christchurch. Duplicating his success at the 2nd. N.Z.E.F. carnival, Dean took the 100 and 200 metres free-style championships in fme style, cloeking in OS.Ssecs. and 2 niinutes 49 l-5secs. respectively. He proved more than useful in the relay too. Not far beliind Dean was Alan Bain, of Te Awamutu. He captured third plaee in both the 150 and 200 metres and seeond in the 440. In the latter he fought very hard with tlie 34tli Brigade contestant to mako alniost a jhioto finish. Tliere was oue race in the meeting which rcally called for a plioto finisk That was the women's 50 metres freestyle. Nnrse Norma Tisch, of Auckland, snatchcd victory by a hair's breadth in a very spirited sprint. Unfortunately it did not count in the champiousliip points. Bill Dawbur, of Wellington, made n fine eit'ort against stift' competition to gain third plaee in Ihe 100 metres b reuststroke. Possibly the most exciting event of tlio dav was the linal of tlie water polo fought out between 2nd N.Z.E.F. and Base. The lviwis had bcatcn tlie 34th Brigade in the preliminaries by four goals to threi1. Base had squasfied Il.C.Air by six goals to two. From tlie start of the tlnal the Base team's Australian supportcrs ou the side gave a splendid demonstration of Svrtncy cricket barracking. Thcy apparontly thought that fouls connnitled by their sides were not onlv pardonable bnt eommendable. The refereo, Colonel T. H. Petit, Commander of tlie flth N.Z.G.H., was eounted out and liissed and booed with hoarse-voiced aliandou. Nevertlieless, at half-tinie Ihe score stood at two to oue in favour of the Kiwis. Early in the seeond fiali Base equalised with some excellent plav more remarkable because one of their piave rs had just been scnt out oi the water because of a foul. About two niinutes later the lviwis regained the lead. Tlicn t-ame the big surprise of tlie dav. In a melee round the Base goal, tlie rcferee detected a major. foul. TTe awarded a free throw to the Kiwis whereupon the Base tcam lcff the water and refusod to contiuuc plav as a pro test against supposed diserimi nation against them.- The referec asked them to resume ])lay but thev refused, so tlie game went to the Kiwis with a score of four goals to two. Tliis incident brouglit about a rather noticcablvi

silcnee among the spcctators, and tlie prescntation of prizes by Ihe A.O.O. B.C.Air, Air Vice-Mursfial Boucher, was begun without delay. '