SWIMMING

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2139, 14 March 1908, Page 3 (Supplement)

SWIMMING

GOOD PERFORMANCE BY FREY BERG. BREAKS 440 YARDS RECORD. A 440 tfards Handicap Race, decided on Friday, March 0, at the r le Aro Baths, under tlie auspices of tlie Swift’s Amateur Swimming Club, furnished B. C. Freyberg with an opportunity of showing his stamina and speed over the distance. Although ho did not succeed in ■winning the event—the task set him by the liandisappers proving beyond his powers—lie nut up a remarkably fine performance bv finishing in third place in time which, if officially recognised, ■will mean tlie lowering -of the existing figures for the Dominion by 11 2-5 sec. There were eight competitors in tlie event, the limit man having a start of SSsec, while the nearest to Freyberg was on the 3osec mark. All the men finished, the race being a close one, P. Lynch (65sec) gaining first place, four yards to the good of E. E. Jenkinson (oosec), who was a touch in front of Freyberg. Tlie other starters were close up. There were three time-keepers in attendance, who had the watch on Frey- ‘ lierg from the time he plunged from the staging until he completed the course, and the three watches credited him with doing Gmin 3scc. '1 here is no reason to doubt the accuracy of Hie time-keepers, and steps will be taken to have, the performance officially recognised. The previous record for the Dominion for the distance was established on February 21st last, when Champion. a competitor at the Waitemata swimming carnival at the Albert street baths, Auckland, did the,distance in Gin in 19 2-sscc. The billi in which lie swam was only 30 yarns i nlength, whereas Te Aro baths are 50 yards. Frevberg lias been showing great form during the last couple of seaeons. Earlier this season he demonstrated his ability at, the Swifts cirnival bv lowering the 220 yards record to 2min 41 sec. In addition to the New Zealand records named in has ai’so the following times to his credit:—so yards, 27 3-osec; iOO yards, G 4 l-ssee : SSOyds., 14mm 13sec ; 1 mile 28min 13sce.