David F. Hawkins '56 will captain the freshman swimming team, a vote of the team decided Friday. The 19-year-old breaststroke champion from Australia recently broke the 100 yard freshman record in that event. There is only one faster breaststroker in an American college.
Hawkins is undefeated in the two Yardling meets this year. He is currently the top breaststroke swimmer in the British Empire. He finished tenth in the Olympic games last summer, the youngest man to rank so high.
"He fits the Harvard swimming picture to a 'T', said Harold Ulen, varsity swimming coach. "He's not only a good swimmer, but quite a contribution to the College," continued Ulen.
Hawkins swims in the 100 and 200 yard events. At the National A.A.U. Championships held last summer he took two third places. He plans to enter that meet during spring vacation.
He felt confident that the team will not lose a meet, up to the Yale meet. "That's our big question," said the Aussie. "We'd like to follow the 1949 team, which dropped the Yales from undefeated ranks."
After college in the spring, Hawkins returns to Australia to begin training for the January trials for the British Empire games. He plans to spend about four hours in the water every day.