Janet Evans Wins Her Second Title in Indoor Swim

Janet Evans of Placentia, Calif., won the 400-meter individual medley Thursday for her second title in the U.S. Swimming Indoor National Championships.

Evans was timed in 4 minutes 39.86 seconds, just .62 of a second off Tracy Caulkins’ American record. Her closest competitor was former U.S. national champion Michelle Griglione, who finished in 4:44.84. It was Griglione’s best performance since winning the silver medal in the 1986 World Championships.

Hungary’s Tamas Darnyi, the world record-holder, won the men’s 400 individual medley in a lackluster 4:18.34, well off of his record time of 4:15.42. Jeff Kostoff, a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, was second in 4:19.77.

In the only other individual events Thursday, Laura Walker of San Ramon, Calif., beat 1984 Olympic gold medalist Mary Wayte of Mercer Island, Wash., in the 200-meter freestyle, and Artur Wojdat of Poland won the men’s 200 freestyle.

Walker’s winning time was 1:59.92, while Wojdat won in 1:49.09.