Personalities In Sport

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 275, 10 February 1928, Page 10

Personalities In Sport

Auckland Mermaid In World Class

Ranked by a competent American critic as being among the best three women back-stroke swimmers in the world, Miss Ena Stockley, Auckland’s champion lady swimmer, who is now upholding New Zealand’s reputation in swimming in Australia, has a great chance of being selected to represent the Dominion at the Olympic Games at Amsterdam this year.

Miss Stockley, who is only 21 years of age, has had a wonderful record in New Zealand swimming. She has been national sprint champion for four years on end. Records galore have crashed before the rythmical smoothness of her perfectly co-ordinated racing stroke. Consider this little list: New Zealand records: 100 yards freestyle fresh water record of 68 3-ssec: 100 yards free-style salt water record of 65 3-ssec (better than the Australian record), 100 metres back-stroke salt water record of BSsec; 100 metres back-stroke fresh water record of 86 2-ssec (also better than the Australian record); 100 yards Australian backstroke record of SOsec: 100 metres freestyle Auckland record of 74 3-ssec. CAN DO BETTER

Miss Stockley’s back-stroke record is only four seconds outside the world’s record of 82 2-ssec, held by the late Miss Sybil Bauer (United States). Miss Stockley registered her record in the slow fresh water, while Miss Bauer put up her best time in the faster salt water. As it was, experts consider that Miss Stockley could have considerably improved on her time liad she turned better.

In the comparatively brief space of five years Miss Stockley has climbed to the position Of premier girl sprint swimmer of the Dominion, and has held that position against allcomers year after year. It was in the winter of 1922, at the age of 15, that Miss Stockley was taught the crawl stroke by the well-known Auckland instructor. Mr. D. B. Anderson, who has coached her ever since.

When the American and Olympic champion. Miss Mariechen Wehlesau, visited Auckland in March, 1925, she defeated Miss Stockley by only two feet in a 100 yards’ invitation scratch race. Miss Stockley’s time was 65 3-ssec, which lowered Miss G. Shand’s salt water New Zealand record by three-fifths of a second. This is +he

present record. Miss tVehselau , , was ossec. The Australian 66sec. record d SUCCESSES IN AUSTRALIA In 1926 Miss Stocklev visits . tralia with Miss Piri Page, antv''' brilliant Auckland girl swhwJ Miss Stockley won the 100 yards eha pionship in 69sec, and also yards back-stroke championship in v Australian record time of Slsec. t\' previous record was SSsec. Later 1 a special scratch race, she reducedV own time to SOsec, which still stir? as the record. This season Miss Stocklev her first defeat for three* years at V hands of Miss D. Magee in the Vv? land championship. The time va?r 2-ssec. However. Miss Stocklev V tained her Dominion title last iuopat Dunedin for the fourth success year—a feat unequalled by any ©tfc? New Zealand lady free-style The time, 68 3-ssec, was a fresh-tr V record. She also lowered Miss L. Copr, stone's 100 metres fresh-water w stroke record of lnnn 40 2-ssec • lmin 27 4-ssec. At this meeting Stockley later lowered this time to l--26 2-ssec. The Australian record, hf by Miss B. Mealing, is lmin 29 l-sj? •while the world’s record, 82 2-ss*? held by the late Miss S. Bauer (Unit*States). SECRET OF SUCCESS Asked what he considered was secret of Miss Stockley’s success, r*coach, Mr. Anderson, replied wither an instants’ hesitation: “Hard wort “She got there through sheer detemination to make herself a champbr continued Mr. Anderson, and he add* “I helped her, perhaps, but I cotu have helped a thousand others, a. they would not have got where sh? did. She was wonderfully quick •• picking up a thing, and she wot practise it for hours, until she h»i perfected whatever she was trying achieve.” Miss Stockley has been nominated fo* the Olympic Games, and if she achiev*; the highest honour that can fall : any athlete in any country, it will fe a fitting climax to a brilliant swir ming carer. Following in the lowsteps of such fine swimmers as Violet Walrond, Pauline Hoeft, ar_ Gwitha Shand, she is fit to take her place in any world gathering of swimmers, and her performances in Australia will be eagerly awaited by be many friends on this side of the Ti» man Sea as showing that she is sn: one of the finest swimmers in th? Antipodes, and in her best event, a champion of champions.