U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials : Myers Wins 100 Meters in U.S. Record Time

Angel Myers of Americus, Ga., became the first American woman to swim 100 meters in under 55 seconds Monday night as she qualified for the U.S. Olympic swimming team.

Myers was timed in 54.95 seconds, her second American record of the day. In the preliminaries, Myers was timed in 55.15, which was .15 faster than the previous American record by Dara Torres.

The world record, set in 1986, is 54.73 by East Germany’s Kristin Otto, who was timed in 55.33 in last month’s East German Olympic trials.

Joining Myers on the Olympic team in the 100 freestyle will be Mitzi Kremer of Titusville, Fla., who was second in the finals in 55.40.

The third and fourth-place finishers also gained Olympic berths as members of the 400 freestyle relay. Torres, of Beverly Hills, Calif., was third in 55.74 and Mary Wayte of Mercer Island, Wash., was fourth in 55.76.

Rich Schroeder of Lindsay, Calif., a 1984 Olympian, and little-known Daniel Watters of Pensacola, Fla., were the top two finishers in the men’s 100 breaststroke.

Schroeder was timed in 1:01.96, the fourth-fastest in history but short of the world and American record of 1:01.65 by Steve Lundquist.

Watters, 17, won’t officially earn an Olympic berth until one member of the U.S. men’s team qualifies in two events, which is virtually a foregone conclusion.

Before Monday, when he was the top qualifier for the event, Watters had appeared in only one national championship meet. He was 10th in in the 100 breaststroke in this year’s indoor nationals.