The New York herald., 1922-08-06
MISS EDERLE ISA
POWERFULSWIMMER
Fifteen-Year-O old Mermaid Sur
prised Experts by Her 3 1-2
Mile Victory.

Miss Gertrude Ederie. nfteen-year-oid
water queen of the New York Women's
s. A.. who earned right to the title or
worlds champion long distance swim
mer among women last week. when she
won the international three and half
mile race for the Day cups over the
Manhattan Brighton Beach course In
record time. now stands out as one or
the most promising young all around
mermaids ever developed.
None conceded her remote chance
to defeat In the cup event either hes
own team mate Miss Helen Wainwright,
who had set startling worlds record
for 220 and $50 yards few days before.
or the noted British champion. Miss
Hilda James, holder also of several IN
ternational standards. Her own club
indeed rated her fourth among its en-
trants, naming her as substitute for its
leading cup team of three; and this is
not surprising, for previously she had
confined her efforts to sprinting ana
never competed In a middle or long dis
tance race.
Thus it was that when she set out at
terrific pace in the recent test every
one looked for her to break down long
ere the finish. 1t was not possible 70
mrjntain that killing gait. said the most
competent judges. But as mark after
mark was passed and the powerful
lassie showed no sign of weakening,
holding Steadily the early lead she had
secured, experts began to wonder. then
marvel. They had further surprise In
store though. FOR on nearing the line
Miss Ederle raised her stroke another
notch and thrashed home at one hun
dred speed. then climbed up the Of
ficials' stand fresh and smiling, display
ing no trace Of fatigue.
Has Wonderful Future.
The striking achievement predicts a
wonderful future for the newly crowned
champion. Several impressive sprinting z
performances stand to her credit and
her initial demonstration over a long
course leaves no doubt that she has the
making of one of the greatest all around
swimmers Of her sex the world has
known.
Miss Ederle started her novitiate In
Workmanship as a member of the New
York Women's S. A. In the fall of 1918
at the age OF eleven and rose swiftly to
proficiency. The following year. in
fact. she qualified for the relay team
fent by her organization to compete in
the junior national 400 yard relay cham
win the event in worlds record time for
women.
School and home duties, however.
made 1t difficult for her to practice reg
ularly and she engaged in competition
spasmodically thereafter, seldom train
ing adequately for the events she en-
tered. 1t was not until last summer.
after she won the 230 yard free style
high school championship in national
al a n AI--A -.
pains to work out regularly. This
brought immediate results. At the first
outdoor meet she swan 100 yards in
los 2-5 and shortly after she covered
2:o yards in 255 S-5. extraordinary ex-
ploits for girl of fourteen.
Victory Surprising.
But the indoor months again caused
her to let UP in her training. She per-
formed very creditably. swimming 10L
yards In 1:07 2-5, breaking the American
so foot pool record for 200 yards and
winning the Junior national so yard
championship. but she did not live up
fully to expectations. This made the
more surprising and unexpected her
brilliant victory In the Day cup race.
victory which should mean much to
her for she has always doubted her
ability to carry her speed over stretches
longer than 220 yards.
Miss. Ederle. like most OF her club
mates. uses the six bea, double trudgecI
crawl for all distances. She Is a strong,
broad shouldered lassle, whose swim
ming Is featured by an unusually high
carriage of the body. She glides through
the water with shoulders well up on the
surface. her arms driving in hard. Wig
orous strokes. her legs thrashing con-
tinuously. While she has yet to touch
any worlds records for regulation dis
tances. nothing will surprise on her
part after her exhibition in the inter-
national fixture.