AMATEUR SWIMMING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26639, 9 December 1947, Page 6

AMATEUR SWIMMING

CHAMPIONSHIPS COMMENCED GOOD EFFORT BY MISS CASEY The Otago Senior Swimming Championships were commenced at the St. ClairSt. Kilda Club hour at the Municipal Baths last night, two distance events being decided., •< Miss Betty. Casey (Kiwi), the national women's freestyle champion, won the 440 Yards Freestyle title in 6min 11 l-ssec, which was 6sec outside Miss Islay Purdie’s Otago record, and represented a first-class effort. Her only opponent was Miss Ngaire Lane (Kiwi), the titleholder, who swam backstroke all the way. Miss Casey winning by about 40 yards. Miss Casey swam the first 100 yards in 75sec and the 200 yards in 2min 40sec. and thereafter was content to maintain a good lead. Her time was 22 3-ssec faster than the winning time last year, when Miss Lane swam the distance on the backstroke.

The 440 Yards Men’s Freestyle Championship was retained by L. Wilson (Kiwi), who had a leisurely swim to win by 75 yards from W. Wallace (Dunedin) in 6min 31 3-ssec, which was nearly a minute slower than the winner’s time last year. Owing to the infantile paralysis restrictions, the intermediate and junior events have been postponed, but the senior championship carnivals will be held to-night and to-morrow night, and several intermediates who are not affected by the age ban will be competing in the open class. The following were the results:— 440 Yards Women’s Freestyle Championship. New Zealand record: smin 36 3-ssec, Miss M. Leydon (Auckland). 1938. Otago record: 6min ssec, Miss I. Purdie (Kiwi), 1940. Titleholder: Miss N. Lane (Kiwi), 6min 33 4-ssec.—Miss B. Casey (Kiwi) 1, Miss N. Lane (Kiwi) 2. Time, 6min 11 l-ssec.

■ 440 Yards Men’s* Freestyle Championship. New Zealand record: smin 10 2-ssec L. Newell (Canterbury), 1938. Otago record: smin 34 4-ssec, J. D. O’Driscoll (Dunedin), 1936. Titleholder: L. Wilson (Kiwi), smin 46 2-ssec.—L. Wilson (Kiwi) 1. W. Wallace (Dunedin) 2. Time, 6min 31 3-ssec.