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

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Associated Press

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.

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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.

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“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.

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

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