SWIMMING

Evening Star, Issue 22145, 27 September 1935, Page 4

SWIMMING

NOTES AND NEWS [Bv Hooker.] FIXTURES. October 28.—Otago Centre’s first carnival. November 4-November 9.—Otago Centre’s “ Learn to Swim ” Week. November 9.—Otago Centre’s “ Learn to Swim ” gala. January 14. —Kiwi Club’s carnival. . January 18.—Kiwi Club’s harbour race. February 15, 17, 18, and 19.—New Zealand national championships, at Dunedin. February 22 and 23.—New Zealand surf life-saving championships at Dunedin. Chambers's Fine Record. Geoff. Chambers, the New r Zealand junior boys’ breast stroke champion, has been one of Otago’s outstanding performers this season, but the Kiwi

boy has never swum better than he did on Monday night, when he improved upon his existing New Zealand junior record of 58sec _by swimming 75yds breast stroke in 56sec, a performance that is likely to stand for a long while. , Apart from Reg. Geddes, who is a clubmate of Chambers, no junior has ever approached Chambers’s latest time, and the record held by Geddes up till

January 16 of tins year was 59 J-sse&, which Chambers reduced at the Kiwi carnival to 59 l-ssee, bringing it down to 58sec on May 11. ' Chambers’s success is due m no small measure to the efforts of his coach, Mr Alex Craig, to whom hearty congratulations will be tendered on the success of his charge. For a boy with only one season s competitive swimming, Chambers’s performances have been phenomenal, and ho is not the type of lad to be affected with swelled head, taking his successes modestly, as becomes a sportsman after all. He enters intermediate ranks in a few days, and will be a strong contender for New Zealand honours at 100yds breast stroke in this division. He may not establish a record this year, but Geddes’s New Zealand record of 73 3-ssec is likely to be endangered by his dubmate before he leaves intermediate ranks. Ho has the style, and he has the determination.

Japan’s Challenge. Japan hurled a resounding challenge at Tokio on August 19 for 1936 Olympic Games swimming honours when its powerful team turned in a groat victory over the United States stars in the concluding programme of a three-day meet between swimmers of the two nations. The total point score was: Japan 36, United States 27.

Negami, Rikkyo University ace, won the 800-metre free-stylo in lOmin 2 2-5 sec. It bettered the listed world record of lOmin 8 3-ssec by Makino over a 50-metre course in Tokio, June 25j 1933.

The Japanese beat out Medica in tlie final lunge “ by a finger-nail,” as one commentator had it, and the latter was credited with the same time as the winner. Harada and Makino finished in the order named, the last man finishing only four-fifths of a second slower than his victorious countryman.Fick gave the United States its only victory of the'evening by winning the 100 metres free-style in 67 l-6sep. Yusa

and T, Aral, of Japan, trailed in that order. In the 200-mctre back-stroke Kiichi Yoshida won in 2tnin 36fsec, Danny Kehr (U.S.A.) was second, and Kentaro third. Actually Taylor Drysdale (U.S.A.) finished first, 2ft ahead of Yoshida. The judges disqualified the American, however, on the ground that he had turned illegally at the 100-metre mark.

Meiji Shrine pool was jammed to its 15,000 capacity. In the royal box were the brothers of Emperor Hirohito, the Princesses Takamatsu and Sumi. Other notables attending included the Ministers of Homo Affairs, Railways, and Education.

Tho relay decisively proved Japan lias retained the world supremacy which made it invincible at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932. The Nipponese quartet of Masonori Yusa, Ishi Harada, S. Makino, and Hiroshi Negami churned over tho 800 metres in Bmin 52 l-ssec. The world record of Bmin 58 2-ssec was set by the Japanese team in the last Olympics. August 9, 1932. The American team of Peter Fick, of the New York Athletic Chib; John Macionis, of Philadelphia and Yale University; Art Lindegrcn, of Hollywood; and Jack Medica, of Seattle, was beaten by eight metres, tho Americans being timed at Bmin 56 3-5 sec. Medica won tho 400 metres earlier in the meeting.

Hawke’s Bay Possibilities. There is a possibility of Dave Lindsay, one of the best all-round champions New Zealand has ever produced and a former Olympic representative, being seen in action at the national championships at Dunedin in 'February. If he is able to obtain the necessary leave he will probably make the trip and will strengthen the-Hawke’s Bay team very considerably. Hawke’s Bay should have a strong team, for besides Lindsay they will be able to call upon Dick Watkins (who won the national mile at Auckland), Miss Edna Rainey (the holder of the New Zealand ladies’ 100yds ladies’ championship), and Colin Thurlow (a neat diver who competed in the New Zealand championship in 1934 and again this year). Kiwi Notes. The reorganised coaching scheme was introduced on Tuesday night at the 6-7 club hour, and with a good attendance of the coaches the grouping of tho swimmers undoubtedly -simplified

the coaching, and fine work was done with the learners, who are showing exceptional keenness. The dub captain, P. E. Mathieson, has a good team of youngsters under his charge, and the national back stroke champion is getting good results. Jim M'Faull is a keen little junior, bub should endeavour to keep his knees a little stiffer.

Maurice Collins is showing plenty of dash, but should remember to keep his fingers closed. Miss Sheila Coughlau is swimming very well and has perfect relaxation. She needs only to speed up. a y little and should be ready for competition at the centre’s Labour Night carnival. Miss Dorothy Pope is still training steadily. She should endeavour to loosen her leg action up a little and to get her elbows higher. Donald Qalder, a promising junior, needs to try for more relaxation. He is improving steadily. Allan Renton is shaping very well for a newcomer.. He should endeavour to improve his kick, and should remember to pull right through. Bob M'Robie, a new intermediate member, swims well on breast stroke, but should not'pull so wide with his arms. lan Johnston, a new junior, is keen and should improve with coaching. He keeps his legs too wide, and should pull right through with his arms. A. R. Coulter is improving on the crawl, but his knees need straightening up a little. Miss Alwyn Thompson will be in intermediate ranks this season, and should do well.. She has a good powerful kick, but needs to concentrate on her arms a little, aiming at more relaxation.

Beverley Brown should soon be swimming. She is keen and has a natural aptitude for the water. _ Lyall Kearns is another who- is making good progress. _ Miss I. Purdie has made fine improvement recently under Miss M.

Boulton’s coaching, and will be very hard to beat over 100yds in the intermediate class this season. Miss Pat Connor shows promise on the breast stroke, and _ Miss Joyce Knowles is another who is going well on this style. , , Miss Maud Stewart has made a welcome reappearance at tho club hour, and will be competing at the hrst carnival of tho season.

W. J. Strong, a new-junior, promises well on tho crawl, and with Mr 11. Hector coaching him he should give a good account of himself before long. Miss Gretta Harris is improving on back stroke, and would be well advised to put plenty of time in at this style of swimming. Arrangements are now well in hand for the parents’ night to be held on October 8, and besides being afforded an opportunity of watching the coaching classes in progress, the visitors will witness demonstrations of diving to bo given by the dub champion (Mrs C. Isaacs) and P. E. Mathieson and Reg. Geddes, while Geddes, Mathieson, and G. P. Chambers will give a demonstration of tho various strokes. 1 Miss M. Boulton is also arranging a display bv some of the most promising junior aiid intermediate girls. Afterwards the parents will be entertained 1 at a social! function. Long Service. Mr E. H. James has the longest record of continuous service on the Otago Swimming Centre of any member. He has been president, secretary, and has held most of the other important, offices, and recognition of his services was marked by the New Zealand Council recently when it granted him the honour of a New Zealand blazer for services rendered to the sport, a similai distinction being accorded Mr D. C. Bannatyne, another old member. It must be very gratifying to Mr James, therefore, to know that in future ho will have seated with him at centre meetings his son, H. James, who is one of the newly-appointed delegates from the St. Clair Life Saving Club. Mr Janies is a vice-president ot the controlling body, and a very capable administrator, and the hope will be expressed that his son will follow in his footsteps. Young James has been appointed hon. secretary of the bt. Clair Life .Saving Club, and should make a good fist of the job. St. Clair had a very good annual meeting on Monday night. Mr H. U. Henderson has rendered such good service over tho years that his re-election as president was assured, and life saving enthusiasts throughout Otago are grateful for the interest ho displays in the work. A strong batch of. vicepresidents Has been elected, and ui Mr H D. Gillies the club made a happy choice for club captain. Duke _ has been one of Otago’s great enthusiasts, and is a capable swimmer and life saver with swimming championships to Ins credit. ,The national champion, Walter Jarvis, is deputy-captain, and apart from his swimming prowess he is a good man for the position, as he is a fine coach and willing at all times to impart his knowledge to others. A youngmember of the committee is H. Catlender, who was second in the JNen Zealand 100yds intermediate bojs breast stroke championship last yeai. Ho is a very keen member. Hie instructor is Mr C. Saxton, the wenknown Otago Rugby and cricket representative.

Splashes. It is ; almost pleasing to hear of an athlete overcoming a physical disability, and quite a few swimmers come within this category. One such is G. Ussher, who has been holidaying _ m Christchurch. He is a one-egged swimmer who competed in the An, ] e^ e \ 1 erman Cup harbour swim at the national championships at Auckland last February. He made a great swim aaainst the severe chop. , , Ales. Stokes, former New Zealand national champion, is undecided as to whether he will be seen m shin competition this season. He nas from the effects of a severe operation, and will be at Dunedin with the Canterbury team for the water pjlo lino up, while he will also be a mem her of the New Brighton team at the surf championships Ota"o delegate on the Non Zea * Swimming Council, and is a very h m fhe o national A.A.U.. seni ? r long-<Ks-t'lnce swimming championship for men, disputed over a course of approximately four miles in Lake Ariel, near Scwnton Pa., brought crushing defeat to Eduard Lee of the New* York _ A.C., title holder. Unable to finish better than fourth, the dethroned swimmer, several times winner _of the GVe ? t > vi virtually 10mm, or nearly 800yds behind Dexter Woodford, of Ohio State University, the victor m lh 37mm 44.55ec. An eighteen-year-old lad, Rlwood Woodling, of East High School, Akron, 0., was a close second in l.db.o*, and another youth of the same age Harry Tresnakj of New York, took third in 1.43 2 4-5. ' , Dorothea Dickson, of the 3 Swimming Association, holder or. three metropolitan championships broke one American record and_ established tu o other U.S. marks in winning the 500yds free style race, one of the featured events ‘in the A.A.U. aquatic Manhattan Beach on August 24. JMiss Dickson won the 500yds handicap In 6min 39.65ec, shattering the record ot 4.43 1-5 made by Helene Madison in San Francisco in July, 1931. On her way to victory, she also established new American records for 200yds and 400yds, her respective times being 2mm Jlsec and 5.17. There were no listed records for these distances. . ...... Among those the writer met while in Christchurch for the Banfurly Shield game was P. Z. Hams, the fonnei champion swimmer. Hams is living in Christchurch now, but does little serious swimming. Jack Young, winner of the Annette Kdlcrman Cup swim at Christchurch m 1934, has been holidaying in Dunedin, and had a swim or two while he was ,le The Kaikorai Club is to be congratulated on its fine membership after being in existence such a short time. Including 50 honorary, members, its total membership is now 134. The Kiwi Club has decided to hold the annual ‘ Star ’-Police carnival, at its club hour at the Baths on Thursday, November 14, and it .has also fixed the dates for its carnival and harbour race, which will be held on January 14 and January IS respectively.;