Sportsman of the Month Barbara Jonas

As this was being written, our Sportsman of the Month, Barbara Jonas, and other Nelson swimmers, were winging north to Auckland to compete in the national championships and a chance for a title and selection for the New Zealand Olympic Games swimming team. For Barbara, as for all other top line New Zealand swimmers, the moment of truth is approaching. It could be said that Barbara began her training for this moment in 1959 when, at the age of 9, she swam her first width. Four years later she began serious training and was rewarded with a trip to the national championships. Barbara found very early that breaststroke suited her best and she has specialised in this one stroke. While still a pupil of Nelson College for Girls she was selected to tour Australia with the New Zealand junior team in 1964 and the next year joined the New Zealand team on a similar tour. On her first tour she won two Tasmanian titles. While still a junior in 1966 she won four titles at the national championships (two junior, two open) and held national records in the 110, 65, 100 and 220 yds junior events in 1965. Last season she didn' t do very much work after the very strenuous seasons the two previous years, but she has been training very hard this season, and we are confidently anticipating success for Barbara.

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