Haislett of U.S. Swims to Gold Medal but Tarnishes Day for Rest of Team

The United States endured a bittersweet start at the World Swimming Championships today, and Nicole Haislett tasted both the bitter and the sweet.

The 17-year-old from St. Petersburg, Fla., won the first gold medal of the championships for the United States in the women’s 100-meter freestyle, but later lost a gold when judges disqualified the U.S. team, saying she jumped seven-hundredths of a second too early on the second leg of the 800-meter freestyle relay.

That gave the title to Germany and ended a night of record-breaking performances--and deep disappointment--for the Americans, who are favored to win both men’s and women’s team titles.

“Nicole is a team person, and I think she is more concerned about her teammates than her own loss of a medal,” said Dennis Pursley, U.S. Swimming team director.

Haislett caught Catherine Plewinski of France about 10 meters from the end in the 100-meter freestyle and won in 55.17, an American record and a victory margin of .14.

“America’s first gold medal--I feel good,” Haislett said. “I thought I would just ride her in and do my best.”

But about two hours later, Haislett was at the center of the first big controversy of the championships.

Janet Evans overhauled Stephanie Ortwig in the final 60 meters to get the U.S. relay team--fastest in the world last year by more than two seconds--home first.

But the scoreboard remained in “unofficial” mode for a long time, and when the official results were flashed the crowd gasped.

“The United States has been disqualified because the judges found the second swimmer had left her starting position before the first swimmer had completed her leg,” an announcement read over the public address system said.

The electronic timing system showed Haislett left .07 seconds too soon. That’s smaller than the margin of apparent U.S. victory, but any discrepancy is big enough for disqualification.

Haislett declined to be interviewed, but Jeff Dimond, a spokesman for U.S. Swimming, said the teen-ager was “devastated.”

Also today, Chinese star Lin Li spoiled an expected American showdown in the women’s 400-meter medley.

The eagerly awaited rematch between Americans Summer Sanders and Evans, a highlight of last year’s Goodwill Games, instead turned into a race for third between two tiring swimmers.

The Chinese swimmer zoomed past the U.S. pair and Australian 16-year-old Hayley Lewis to win in 4:41.45, .01 seconds ahead of Lewis.

Sanders was third in 4:43.41; Evans, the 1988 Olympic champion, was fourth in 4:46.05.