Breaststroke Record Tied by Van Neerden

Seth van Neerden tied the American record of 1 minute 1.40 seconds in the 100-meter breaststroke and world record-holder Jenny Thompson overcame a broken arm to win the 100 freestyle Sunday on the opening night of the seven-day National Swimming Championships at Indianapolis.

Allison Wagner won the 400-individual medley and Chad Carvin the 200 freestyle in the meet that will decide the U.S. teams for the world championships at Rome next month and the Pan American Games in March.

Thompson, swimming with a plate inserted in the left arm she broke in May, won in 55.50 seconds. Nicole Haislett, who won three gold medals in the 1992 Olympics, and Olympian Angel Martino tied for second in 55.84.

Thompson sported a six-inch scar on her arm from surgery to repair the break, which occurred while she was riding on a water slide.

Haislett, who won three gold medals in the Barcelona Olympics and set the American record in the 100 freestyle in the 1991 World Championships, and Martino, another former holder of the American record in the event, will have a swim-off at an undetermined date to determine who will be the second U.S. representative in the event at Rome.

The 100-meter breaststroke record tied by van Neerden was set by Nelson Diebel in 1992.

Todd Torres’ bid to represent the United States in next year’s Pan-American Games is uncertain because of a protest by officials of Puerto Rico’s Olympic Committee, officials of U.S. Swimming said. Torres formerly swam for Puerto Rico.

Baseball

Lazaro Valle gave up only four hits and struck out 10 during a 6-1 victory over South Korea that gave Cuba its fifth consecutive world amateur baseball championship at Managua, Nicaragua.

The Cubans, who won their 21st world championship, have 110 consecutive victories in games sponsored by the International Baseball Assn.

Michael Jordan, unable to play for the Birmingham Barons in an ESPN-televised game Sunday night, will have his injured left shoulder examined today in Birmingham, Ala., by Dr. James Andrews, who has treated Bo Jackson, Charles Barkley and many other top athletes.

Jordan suffered a sprained left rotator cuff Friday night making an awkward dive for a ball hit to left field in the fourth inning. He remained in that game at Huntsville, Ala., but did not play Saturday or Sunday.

Track and Field

Ludmila Rogachova of Russia won the women’s 1,500 meters at the European Championships at Helskinki in 4:18.93, the slowest time since the distance was added in 1969.

The previous slowest was 4:10.7 in 1969.

“What a race!” Rogachova said. “I thought we were walkers.”

The start of the race looked as if the runners were setting out for a marathon, and many of the 42,000 fans at soldout Olympic Stadium jeered. Rogachova also received a chilly response as she ran her lap of honor.

But this wasn’t the only slow, tactical race.

In the men’s 5,000 final, Olympic champion Dieter Baumann of Germany’s winning time of 13:36.93 was almost 40 seconds off the world record.

Rob Denmark of Britain was second in 13:37.50, and Abel Anton of Spain, who won the 10,000 meters last Sunday, added a bronze medal in 13:38.04.

Tennis

Second-seeded Carlos Costa of Spain beat unseeded Oliver Gross, 6-1, 6-3, to win the San Marino Muratti Time tournament.