SWIMMING

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 92, 15 October 1932, Page 20

SWIMMING

By "header" ,

FOREIGN TEAM COMING ?

AMERICAN POSSIBILITIES

JAPAN'S RISE :UO FAME

The fact that Mr!' P. N. Bundle, manager of the Olympic team, has stated that certain . o<; the star performers at the recieint Games are prepared to , visit ,-, New Zealand, has caused interest ' throughout the various centres, ,ai it is more than likely the New Zealand" Council will be; asked W gfo . closely into the matter with a view tp arranging a tour. No information is available, as.to- the extent of the report submitted by Mr. Bundle to the New Zealand Association, but it is believed that the performers who expressed a 'desire to visit this country were AusijJ.n Crabbe, winner of the 400 metres, firee style, ?'Mickey" Biley, champion ■ jiver, springboard, H. Smith, champioD,: diver, high board, and Miss Georgie Colemau, women's springboard diving champion. Others in Miss Helene M aidison, free style cham. pion, and Miss. Eleanor.. Holm, backstroke champicm, are stated;td:befav-: ourable to the/^^acceptance' -of an invitation, and fron£ those mentioned a very, fine selection | could ': be made.. . It 13 doubtful, howieverjaf the expressed willingness of ■FAe:alsove mentioned champions to visit New Zealand still holds good. f •■'■;.;.. Eeports Ijo hand indicate that ■ the Misses Madjison and Hplm. have accepted engageaiients 'with the. film: people, and are not likely- ito participate further in swianming contests, their careers in this oVJrection finishing with their,, successes at the Games. Overtures had apparentl.-f'been made to the two champions some time ago to embark on. a film care er,' but they both expressed a desire toi-remain, in the sport with a view to securing world's honours prior to their- retirement! .This they have, achieved, and it seems certain that they; will near accept .the offers made to' them b;f the picture people. ', -■ '■' ■ It is also believed that Miss Georgial Colema;a and Mickey Biley (correct name 3|L Galitzen), who became engaged dnxing the progress of the Games, will ajso embark on a film career, combined, with stage appearances, and as both are brilliant divers, their ability niay lead to lucrative engagements. : T?flis leaves Crabbe ■ and "Dutch" Smith as the possible two who would 'be able to make the trip, if invited. Cretbbe is, of course, well known for his pn'ijwess as a swimmer, particularly over tii c middle distances, and in beating a ■w;onderful field in the 400 metres at the Games, he set the seal on a very fine 'record. His s appearance in this country, ivould undoubtedly cause much interest especially as stronger opposition could be offered over distances than in sprints, but from the public point of view the ■ latter racing is of decidedly more interest, and this may have a bearing on any action the New Zealand Conncil may take. ■/■_.-.'■ i „". . , Difficulties Regarding Divers. '- :..'; 1 Smith, the'high-diving champion, is: also a fine performer ipn •" the ' s'p^ing r ; boards, and in."his!case ha N wouldr';6"e avaluable membez'Cof any;touring party. The opportunities of shoyrtiig ahythingin the way of high diving, .(which is; from a irigid platform) in this country are extremely limited, and unless special platforms were erected little would be seen of tho champion- in his spe-. eialty. Further, few baths have .the-re-: quired depth of water for high diving,1 so. that the disadvantages may pre--elude an invitation being extended to Smith, even allowing for his ability on the springboards. It might be mentioned that high diving includes.almost all of the various idives executed on the boards, and is not confined to plain diving alone. "Usually tho height of- the rigid platforms i^ 30 feet, and some very spectacular and excellent efforts are executed bjr perfpriners of the calibre of Smith and Biley.^, Sons of Nippon. . What would no doubt appeal to the' majority, would be a visit from, a Japanese team.- The meteoric rise to world's class of Japanese swimmers has beenthe outstanding feature in swimming circles of recent years, and "only those who have followed the progress of the sport closely would be aware of the big improvement made in Japan. To these people the successes gained at the Games by the Japanese did not come aa any surprise, but it is safe to say: that the public, in the main, would be looking to "Boy" Charlton to be tho star in tho men's events with but little thought to the performers from the East. What is the most surprising fact about the Japanese swimmers is their youth, and the winner of the 1500 metres, Kitumara, is only 14 years of/ age, while the runrier-up, Makino, is only 16 years. That two such young swimmers could eclipse the world's best over the long distance race is truly remarkable, while the successes of Miyozaki, 100 metres, free style, Kiyokawa, 100 metres, backstroke, Tsuruta, 200 metres, breasts'troke,Vindicate the phenomenal stage the 'sport .has reached in Japan. In addition, further contestants from that country finished in. the minor places of the championship events, including the lady competitors, which all goes toy show that, as a. swimming nation, Japan ranks probably highest in the world. Two, 01^ three, of her star performers would create some enthusiasm if they visited this and, should- the New Zealand Council decide to extend any invitations, it will probably be found that the majority would certainly prefer seeing the young Nippon champions in action to any others; It is more, than likely that the Aus-^ tralian Union will be. extending an invitation to the Japanese, if they haye_ not already done so, and in the event of acceptance, action by. the New Zealand Association would possibly follow. .Provided that the dates.of appearance in the Dominion were suitable, a tour by such stars as have been mentioned would meet with hearty support from all quarters, and would givei an. added stimulus to the sport. Local Notes. , ■ •' - • Local swimmers have not made a start with their training yet, and It will probably be well into next month before the serious work commences.^ ■C. Claridge ho£es to be able to devote some time to the sport this season, and does not anticipate a recurrence of the trouble that kept him out of any serious racing last season. ■ J. Blakeley underwent an operation recently, but has made a good recovery. As soon as opportunity offers he*will make a ststrt^with his training with a view to defending the centre titles he won during last season. B. Gellate, whose form last season was not quite up to the.standard expected' in view of his early junior and intermediate efforts, will be heard of this season. With solid training, which he intends to undergo, he should extend the best over th^ short distances.