East Germans Make a Strong Showing, but West Germans Pull Swim Surprise

East Germans posted three 1-2 finishes in the European swimming and diving championships Friday, but West Germany surprisingly won the men’s 400-meter freestyle relay event in a 1985 world-best time.

West German star Michael Gross, winner of the 200-meter freestyle and the 100-meter butterfly, picked up a third gold medal, swimming a leg in the relay. The West Germans won in 3 minutes 22.18 seconds, beating the favored East Germans, who took the silver in 3:22.32.

East German Sylvia Gerasch won the women’s 100-meter breaststroke in 1:08.62, ahead of compatriot Silke Hoerner, clocked in 1:08.95.

Kornelia Gressler, 14, won the women’s 100-meter butterfly in 59.46--also a world best this year--with another East German, Birte Weigang, placing second in 1:00.45.

The East Germans’ other 1-2 came in the men’s 400-meter freestyle, Uwe Dassler winning in 3:51.52, followed by Sven Lodziewski in 3:51.54.