East German Women Dominate in Europe

Olympic champion Michael Gross took the gold medal for West Germany in the 200-meter freestyle, but it was East Germany’s women who dominated the second day of the European Swimming Championship Tuesday, winning three events.

They threatened their own world record in the 800-meter freestyle relay and also won the 400-meter medley and the 100-meter freestyle.

Gross defended his European championship title, covering the distance in 1 minute 47.95 seconds--0.51 seconds off his world record set last summer at the Los Angeles Olympics.

In women’s competition, East Germans Astrid Strauss, Karen Koenig, Manuela Stellmachand and Heike Friedrich clocked 8:03.82 in the 800-meter freestyle really, just under their world-record 8.02.27 performance, for first place.