NOTED SWIMMERS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 134, 3 December 1929, Page 13

NOTED SWIMMERS

NEW ZEALAND TOUR

KYAN'S ACHIEVEMENTS

"'ls Eyan another Charltou?" As long ago as December, 1927, when the wonderful boy swimmer from Manly, who arrived in New Zealand to-day, was barely 16 years of age, the Australian papers were asking that question. It was a big question, for at that time Andrew ("Boy") Chnrlton had half the world talking of him. He was the sensation of the Olympic Games of 1924, when lie beat Arne Bor<; decisively, and later demonstrated by hi.= remarkable swimming in Australia that he was one of the most wonderful swimmers that Australia had ever produced. Oo talk at that time of another swimmer being as good, or even promising to be as good, was almost heresy. Yet the Australian papers were doing it, even as fnmllc t ntl?" ed t0 hand the victor's laurels to Charlton. (J?°w Eyan 7 as ,doing wonderful things for his age At that time he was just a youngster, like a-y other schoolboy in his . apple-catchers" and long stockings. "He is as shy as a brumby colt," wrote one Austialian writer, "and cannot be induced to talk about himuelf at all. ... In two years he will fil; out; his style will be perI ■ hl ok out then! There is every chance that he will be fit to face thl world's best." R yan to-day is the best swimmer that Australia possesses ovrr \f* rf?rmances that <=^sed all the stir t^A ♦ *i,boy 0- years aß° w«e regis- '^ ed a£ the combined high schools carat for Vnn5 dD?y> £ here Eyan won junth. 9?n yds -lUo^ 2; ssec- won aW oi 'mm 47 1-m 2min, 2ssec> a?d the 'final in n^i jcTo i'oSetV nJ J T won the 440 yds in 5 mm 49 2-osec. Beside the times that Ryan has since placed to his credit, these performances may sound very moderate, I>ut tor a boy of 16 they were wonderful They were a justification for the eulogies that were poured upon him, just as his improvement since has proved a justification ot the prophecy that was uttered concerning him at that time. His performances against Arne Borg, when the all-conquer-mg bwede visited Austrab'a last year prove that'he is in the class of the worlds best swimmers; .and yet, when ■Noel Ryan followed Arne Borg to the winning post in all the classic events in Australia a year ago, he was barely 17 years of age. He has yet to celebrate his eighteenth. He will do bo during the New Zealand tour—at Te Awamutu on 10th De-

Accompanied by another Australian champion, Owen Griffiths, Ryan will make his rn-st appearance in Wellington on 21st December. ..../■