KAHANAMOKU’S GREAT SWIM.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 9, 12 January 1915, Page 6

KAHANAMOKU’S GREAT SWIM.

■..#W■ v > ..... STATE CHAMPIONSHIP CARNIVA STATE- CHAMPIONSHIP CARNIVAL.

(From Sydney Daily Telegraph)

■ * &' *1 ’ Duke taoa KaWmmoku, champion amatetfr swiibmef of the world, on Saturday, December 2nd, at the Sydney Domain Baths, smashed his own 100yds record with astonishing ease, and. mCihe: started to wmi nitli, real made all our Australian cracks—Barry. Longworth, Page, and poor by comparison, albeit Barry, in pushing Cunha hard for second place, undoubtedly broke bis own Australian'record of 56 3-ssec. Between 7000 and 8000 people wedged and v jambed themselves into the baths. Daring spirits perched high on the diving tower and adjoining roofs, while even a . tiny strip of beach that ahoWed ai the tide receded was claimed as a vantage point. Such was the sight tliatj greeted Kahanamoku as he stepped into a.boat along with George Cunha, and was rowed to the starting board. This was tlie moment the crowd had been* waiting for, and it let itself go with a spoiltaniety that. ■ brought an expansive smile, to the big, brown man’s features. For Kahanamoku is big.—6£t iin., 13st felb. As he adjusted his tight rubber cap be chatted gaily to some . around him he recognised, the attempts of the megaphone steward to get his name correct tickling him immensely. But on the word “Ready,” Kalianamoku poised, the embodiment of rubbery fitness.

“Go!” and the half-dozen contenders for the title hit the water, Stedman and Longworth having a little the better of the start. The Australians tore ahead, churning tee water furiously with arms and. feet. But the crowd gazed’ in astonishment and fascination, .not, at, this display of flurry, but at the cool, measured strokes of the Hawaiian and his companion, whose style differs but little from his. “Why, he hasn’t started to swim,” was heard on every hand. And yet he was not more behind Barry, who was putting forth every caince of effort he" cbtfid'Command in an enddhvor toti'bet a break on the field. I But.flt. 55 yards- Kahanamoku was in front. A shake, of his hand ,and, while his feet did not splash,- the water literally.: boiled behind him, and Ms arms reaching forward as though aiming iitdilg u:groi.vd way, gave the impression that he was gliding through the water. As he neared the finishing pontoon', the; glide merged into a rush. Cunha had pursued similar- tactics, but Duke’s,sprint had caueht him napping, and he;was more than a full length of the ta)| man behind, with Barry still swimming with dash, but,half a body’s length^way pushing- the American hard.v.4-.

“Time, 53 4-ssec,” said the announcer—a. r wor Id’s record. The tiling seemed preposterous, so easily had. been the accomplisment of it. But one. rememIbred that the late Barney Kieran j rarely appeared to be. in i a hurry, I though he dealt harshly with all sorts of records. Only one could not help wonedring how few seconds Kahana-, moku could swim 100yds if he sWam. “all out” all the way. [ j Kabanamoku’s time beat bis own, world’s record of 54 3-£sec., the Eng-, lish record of 55 2-ssec.j,.and the Ausr tralian record of 56 3-,ssec. Cuuha was timed at 55 l-ssec., and though Barry’s was nfit clocked it must have been well within big improvement on his own recom'. Lougworth,; Stedman,-,. and Page finished almost' simultaneously, and they were all doubtless.within 58sec. For all that it had been won so easily it was a great spectacle—six faster swimmers probably ncycr travelled over a course hi compebitipn. ' ,

The Hawaiian in his stroke puts his hands into the water as though following a lihb’in front of his nose, and the deep pull through gives the impression of slow arm movement. But it is tremendously powerful.