East German Defector Will Swim in U.S. Short Course Nationals

Jens-Peter Berndt, University of Alabama swimmer who recently defected from East Germany, will be among the featured competitors this week at the U.S. Swimming Short Course Nationals at East L.A. College in Monterey Park.

The events will start Tuesday afternoon, with timed finals in the men’s and women’s 1,000-yard freestyle, starting at 4 p.m. Preliminaries will begin at 9:30 a.m. and finals at 6 p.m. the rest of the week, Wednesday through Saturday.

The events:

Tuesday--1,000-yard freestyle.

Wednesday--200-yard breaststroke; 200-yard butterfly; 200-yard backstroke; 100-yard freestyle.

Thursday--200-yard freestyle; 400-yard individual medley; 800-yard freestyle relay.

Friday--500-yard freestyle; 200-yard individual medley; 50-yard breaststroke; 400-yard freestyle relay.

Saturday--1,650-yard freestyle; 100-yard backstroke; 100-yard breaststroke; 100-yard butterfly; 400-yard medley relay.