Florida Team Dominates Swim Meet; Fullerton’s Evans Wins 400 Freestyle

University of Florida teammates Mary Wayte, Paul Wallace, Donald Goss and Dara Torres won events Friday on the first night of the U.S. Swimming Open at the Justus Aquatic Center.

Wayte and Wallace took the 200-meter individual medleys, Goss the 200 backstroke in 2:01.83 and Torres the 50 freestyle in 26.24 seconds. The Florida men’s and women’s teams also won the 800 freestyle relays.

Wallace set the only meet record, winning in 2:03.02 to eclipse the mark of 2:03.76 set by Neil Cochran, representing Scotland and Arizona State, in June of 1985.

Wayte, a gold medalist in the 200 freestyle at the 1984 Olympics, won the women’s individual medley in 2:16.97.

Two newcomers also won. Janet Evans, 15, swimming for the Fullerton (Calif.) Aquatics, took the 400 freestyle in 4:11.06, and Beth Barr, 14, swimming for the Greater Pensacola club, was first in the 200 backstroke in 2:15.72.