Sport: Nadadora

To promote South American good will, Manhattan's misogynous New York Athletic Club, for the first time in its 73-year history, last week permitted women to splash in its pool. Reason: Brazil's 26-year-old Maria Lenk, breaststroke champion of South America and holder of the women's world's record at 200 and 400 meters.

Brought to the U.S. as guests of the Amateur Athletic Union (at a cost of some $6,000), Nadadora Lenk and five of South America's flashiest male swimmers will compete in eleven U.S. meets, will show U.S. rivals what to expect when, and if the Pan-American Games are held at Buenos Aires beginning next November. Miss Lenk has swum 200 meters in 2 min. 56 sec., 400 meters in 6 min. 15.8 sec. Best breaststroke time chalked up by a U.S. girl: 3:14.8 for 200 meters, 6:44.6 for 400 meters.