SWIMMING LONG COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS : Namesnik Sets U.S. Mark; Evans Wins 200 Meters

AUSTIN, Tex. —  Eric Namesnik qualified Monday for the world championships in the men’s 400-meter individual medley by setting an American record of 4:15.78 in the morning preliminaries of the U.S. Long Course swimming championships, then bettered it in the finals, finishing in 4:15.57.

The previous record was Dave Wharton’s 1989 mark of 4:15.93. Wharton finished second Monday in 4:20.00.

“I finally got that experience like what Dave--and Janet--must feel after setting a record,” Namesnik said. “I thought to win, it would have to be a record. I’m really surprised Dave wasn’t a little faster.”

Janet Evans, after losing back-to-back races in the 400-meter individual medley, rebounded by winning the 200-meter freestyle in the world’s best time this year.

Evans, who lost at the Goodwill Games in the 400 medley to Summer Sanders and again Sunday to Erika Hansen, was clocked in 2 minutes 0.27 seconds in an event she normally does not swim.

She outstretched defending champion Nicole Haislett at the wall. Haislett’s time of 2:00.33 is the world’s second best this year.

“I was fighting and fighting,” said Haislett, who held a slight lead until the last 25 meters. “I put my head down and she just touched me out.”

Ironically, Evans said afterward, the 400 medley was responsible for keeping her out of the 200 freestyle in previous meets.

“I would have loved to have concentrated on it (the 200 freestyle) a long time ago,” Evans said, “but it was always on the same day as the 400 IM.

“I’ve been looking forward to the 200 freestyle all week,” she said. “I think I came in seeded 16th. I just wanted to see if I could make the finals, first of all.”

Evans, who won gold medals in the 400 individual medley, the 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle in the 1988 Olympics, has qualified for the 400 medley and the 200 freestyle in the world championships in Australia in January. As the world record-holder in the 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle, she is expected to qualify in those events as well.