SWIMMING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS : Rozsa Ties World Record in the 100 Breaststroke

PERTH, Australia —  Hungary’s Norbert Rozsa tied the world record of 1 minute 1.49 seconds in the men’s 100 breaststroke at the World Swimming Championships Monday.

It was the third time the record had been equaled in the last year, and the swimmer who set it in 1989 and tied it twice, Britain’s Adrian Moorhouse, chased Rozsa to the line in 1:01:88. Rozsa, ranked 14th in the world with a previous best of 1:02.93, reached the turn in 28.74 seconds, .27 seconds faster than the split time for Moorhouse when he first set the record. Coming through the final 25 meters, Moorhouse--swimming in the lane to Rozsa’s right--pulled up to the Hungarian’s shoulder and then cut deeper into the margin. But Rozsa held him off for the first world-record time of the championships.

In the 400-meter individual medley, Summer Sanders qualified fastest as she and American teammate Janet Evans headed for a gold-medal showdown. Sanders, the Stanford University student who ended Evans four-year winning streak in the event at last year’s Goodwill Games and is top-ranked in the event, led the heats for Monday night’s final in 4:43.80.

Hayley Lewis, the 16-year-old Australian who was the swimming star of last year’s Commonwealth Games, was second fastest in 4:45.42, with Evans, the Olympic champion, qualifying third in 4:49.10.

Sanders and Lewis swam in the same heat and the American was ahead from the start, finishing about a length in front. Evans, swimming two heats earlier, led most of the way and was more than a length ahead at the end.

Doug Gjertsen of the United States led qualifying in the men’s 200 freestyle in 1:48.58, ahead of Sweden’s top-rated Anders Holmertz and world record-holder Giorgio Lamberti. The second American in the heats, Troy Dalbey, qualified seventh.

The American women’s 800 freestyle relay team had the fastest time, 8:07.60, and only one U.S. swimmer, Kirk Stackle in the 100 breaststroke, failed to qualify. Teammate Eric Wunderlich won his heat in that event in 1:02.57, fifth fastest.

Catherine Plewinski of France led qualifiers in the women’s 100 freestyle in 55.61, with American Nicole Haislett second in 56.09.

China won three of the sprints, with Qian Hong leading the way. Qian won the women’s 50 butterfly in 27.30, with teammate Xiaohong second at 27.70. They are 1-2 in the world in the 100 butterfly and will go for the world title Tuesday.