World Swimming Championships : East German Women Set Two Marks in Relay

Kristin Otto swam the fastest-ever women’s 100 meters as the East Germans set a world record in the women’s 400-meter freestyle relay Tuesday at the World Swimming Championships.

Because she swam the first leg of the relay, Otto’s time of 54.73 seconds counted as a world record. She beat the six-year-old individual mark of 54.79 that was set by a countrywoman, Barbara Krause.

Following the leg by Otto, 21, Manuela Stellmach, Sabine Schulz and Heike Friedrich went on to the world-record relay time of 3:40.57 seconds.

For Friedrich, it was her fourth gold medal in the championships. She already had won golds in the 800-freestyle relay, the individual 200-meter event and, earlier in the day, the 400-meter freestyle.

Matt Biondi of the United States, the fastest male swimmer in the world, clinched his first World Championship title, but his attempt to beat his world mark in the 100-meter freestyle fell just short.

Betsy Mitchell of the United States broke the East German gold-winning streak in the women’s events by winning the 100-meter backstroke.

Igor Poliansky, the world record-holder from the Soviet Union, won the men’s 200-meter backstroke in 1:58.78, only 0.64 off his best mark. He streaked away from the field to win by three meters over Frank Baltrusch of East Germany, with Frank Hoffmeister of West Germany third.

Friedrich’s win in the 400-meter freestyle gave the East Germans victories in the first six women’s events in the championships. But that streak was broken by Mitchell’s 1:01.74 in the 100 backstroke, with East Germany’s Kathrin Zimmermann finishing second in 1:02.17.

Although Biondi, 21, from Moraga, Calif., failed to beat his own world mark of 48.74 in the 100-meter freestyle, his winning time of 48.94 meant that for the third time he had broken 49 seconds. Nobody else has ever broken that barrier.

Frenchman Stephan Caron clocked 49.73 to finish second and foil a 1-2 finish for the Americans. Tom Jager of Collinsville, Ill., posted 49.79 for third after leading over the first 30 meters.

In men’s water polo, the Soviet Union edged West Germany, 9-8, Yugoslavia downed Italy, 8-5, and the United States, which has already clinched a place in the medal round, tied France, 6-6.