U.S. Swim Trials : Jorgensen Sets a Record in Freestyle

Dan Jorgensen of San Diego broke the American record in the 400-meter freestyle Wednesday night at the U.S. swimming world championship trials.

Jorgensen swam the distance in 3 minutes 49.41 seconds, breaking the American record of 3:51.03 set by George DiCarlo two years ago. Second-place finisher Matt Cetlinski of Lake Worth, Fla., also bettered the previous record with a time of 3:49.72.

Mary T. Meagher of Louisville, Ky., beat Jenna Johnson of Santa Rosa, Calif., in the 100-meter butterfly to duplicate their 1984 Olympic finishes in the event.

In the other two events, Steve Bentley of Fountain Valley, Calif., took the men’s 200-meter breaststroke, and Jenny Hau of Campbell, Calif., was first in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke.

The top two finishers in each event gain berths on the U.S. team for this year’s world championship meet Aug. 13-23 in Madrid.

Jorgensen trailed Cetlinski for much of the race, but he made a charge in the final 75 meters to beat his opponent and the record.

“My game plan was to catch Matt after the 200 (meter mark),” Jorgensen said. “I was not surprised that it worked. I trained to do it that way.”

Meagher set a meet record of 59.20 seconds in the 100 butterfly, bettering her own mark of 59.44 set in 1982. Johnson was second in 59.74.

Bentley also established a meet record, turning in a time of 2:16.42 in the 200-meter breaststroke to top the mark of 2:17.99 set in 1982 by John Moffet. Peter Boden of Eagleville, Pa., was second.

Hau was timed in 1:11.52 in the 100-meter breaststroke, 1.01 ahead of second-place finisher Cara Hafner of Corvallis, Ore.