New Champion?

Horowhenua Chronicle, 31 January 1911, Page 4

New Champion?

A GREAT SWIMMING RACK

Seven thousand spectators assembled at the Sydney Domain .Municipal Paths some days ago, in eager anticipation of seems a great race, a battle of giants, in which the grea't Peanrepaire was for the first time to meet Cecil Healy whose recent efforts had proclaimed him a w-ortby foe of the redoubtable Victorian. They were nrft disappointed, but were in the amazing position of seeing tihe scintillation of the "stars"—'Mho celestial collision." says the Sydney Morning Herald—totally eclipsed by the brilliance of a comparatively unknown quality of the meteoric order. This was W. Longwortb. and his 'time for the three-quarters of a mile. 17min J2sec, stands as a world's record, being twenty seconds faster than Beaurepaire's best, and three and four fifths better Mian the former record made under more favourable conditions by the American Daniels. As thev stood on the starting board—Heald. Hardwick. and Longworth. of New South Wales, Beaurepaire. of Victoria, and Springfield, of Queensland — hardly an eye turned to the sturdy thick-set boy standing on. the extreme right. Ho was the 'third string' in New South Wales bow— a Rose Bay vonth, who had no position in the firmament, and. as.such, intruded mi the celestial hnrmmiv. The race began, and the first lap found Boauro.pairo. and Healy locked together, fighting for every inch. and oblivious to all else. Springfield was out of it, though Hardwick was in a good position, while Longworth--well, he was amusing himself in front. Six of the twelve laps had. gone, and the two "cracks" stroke for stroke, and kick for kick, were furnishing the battle rovnl. Thirtv vards aihead Longworth. his powerful trudgeon lacking np a mighty splash, and leaving a trail that would not have disgraced a second-class cruiser. Some may have thought that the champions leltting him get away to far, but there were six more laps to go, and he was merely swimming a lndlv iudoWl race on "the pace that kills" As the end drew near, however, it became opulent +bat LonnrwoHh was not onlv loading, -biilf being chns°d. nnd elipsod hard. The nnce was terrific. Lao Wowed Inn, wit l ' "o sion of tihe. lend diminishing. Tl'e oVvMihh was no change : but the twelfHi. t'" 1 Inst, saw finishincr u-ilt'h n snnrt that Vono-lit forth the deafening ciheers of thousands. There wns furious and as the crowd left, thev denoted!, probnblv. ns to the relntivc 'l-cxnw: of iincertnintv in a test match and a swimming contest.