SWIMMING STARS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 55, 27 November 1937, Page 17

SWIMMING STARS

THE YALDHURST ^SHIELD AUCKLAND'S HOPES HIGH Auckland swimmers hope to wrest the o Yaldhurst Shield — the provincial team's trophy — from Otago at the Dominion championships at New Plymouth early in the New Year, comments a writer in the Auckland Star, But thc other provinces have strong claims on individual honours and some of their competitors are likely to be selected for the Empire Games7 Previous performances have caused Aucklqnders to know best and rate most h^ghly L, Newell and D. H. JSymes, of Canterbury, R. Simon and D. P. Lindsay, of Manawatu, L, Smitn, of Wanganui, J. Davies, of Taranaki, and Misses I£lay Purdie and Gwen Rix, of Qtago. Newell and Symes aie two swim--m'ers who may again prove too speedy for the Auckland champions, P. Hanan, R. B. Frankham and N. 'Crump; indeed, it is improbable that any of them will head Newell over the half-mile and the mile. Both Newell and Symes contest a 440yds. Empire Games trial at Dunedin next Wednesday night. To gain selection each must' improve upon 5.10. Newell is the present holder of the 440yds. 880yds. and one mile championships. His chief opponent for the three titles is likely to be the veteran of champion D. P. Lindsay, who was Qlympic representqtive in 1928. Tlie Dannevirke Maori, 1 The Dannevirke Maori, Riko Simon, who was too speedy for Auckland's best quarter-milers here last Easter, is , preparing for the sprints and middle distances, and giving most attention to the quarter-mile, his favourite distance, over which he will extend Newell. Less successful, yet front-rank freestylists are J. D. O'Jpriscoll, of Otago, F. Pennington, of Wellington, C. Cliffe, of Canterbury, and P. R; Malthus of Southland , National ■ 880 yds. champion in 1935, O'Driscoll, who was also runner-up tp Newell for the mile and quarter-mile in 1936, has recently resumed training after a season's rest. He is moving well. His' rival ih Otago is Walden Johnson, Auckland champion for the last two years'. Second place to Newell in the half-mile was gained by Malthus, ivhom Southlanders hope to be prominent this season. Pennington, the Wellington man, is said to be concentrating upon surf wdrk this season in the hope of being selected for the New Zealand surf lifesaving. Three breaststroke swimmers much superior to any in Auckland are L. Smith, J. Davies, and the 0.|go cham-r pion, R. Geddes. Smith is actually the New Zealand champion, but the progress displayed last season by Davies, a much younger exponent, justified his priority in the selection of the team for the Empire Games. He will go to Sydney if he betters 3min. for 220yds. next Wednesday. Standard of the Ladies. Southern lady swimmers do not, as a group, seem to be much below the calibre of Auckland's stars, Mona Leydon, Nancy Ludlow, and Kathleen Grey. Needless to say, the finest rival to this trio is brilliant Islay Purdie, Empire Games nominee, who, the spediest lady sprinter in the Dominion for the last two. seasons, in spite of being an intermediate, is the popular choice as the next holder of the 100 yds. and 220yds. New Zealand titles. She can also be relied upon to give both Misses Leydon and Ludlow a strenuous race over 440yds. Doubt exists as to whether the winner of the 100yds. title at Dunedin, Miss Sylvia Gotlieb, of Wellington, will be a competitor this season. Miss N. Basstian, free stroke sprinter and holder of the Dominion backstroke title, is considering retirihg, and her place in Southland should be takep. by either Miss Molra McGrath or Miss Joyce Macdonald. The 15-year-old Wanganui girl, Miss Pat Watts, is- expected to eclipse her good times of last season. She is also aspiring for the Games but is unlikely to contesT" senior . championships. The title of national lady diving champion is certain to be retained by Miss Gwen Rix, of Otago. Her selection for the Empire Games is assured.