National Dual Meet Swim Championships : Stanford, Texas Teams Win; Cal’s Biondi Sets World Mark

Matt Biondi of California set a world record in the 50-meter freestyle, but the men’s and women’s swim teams of Stanford and Texas both won in the semifinals of the National Dual Meet Swimming Championships Saturday at the Olympic pool on the USC campus.

In the men’s semifinals, Texas defeated California, 73-40, and Stanford routed USC, 82-31.

Biondi’s world-record time in the 50-meter freestyle was 21.84 seconds, which broke the old mark of 21.89, set by Dano Halsall of Switzerland last December. Biondi had competed in the short-course 50-meter freestyle only once before.

Doug Gjertsen led the Longhorns over Cal, anchoring the victorious 400 medley relay team and winning the 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley.

The Trojans finished second behind Stanford in the recent NCAA championships, but they were no match for Stanford head-to-head, as Jeff Kostoff and Anthony Mosse won two events apiece to pace the Cardinal, which won 12 of the 13 events.

In the women’s semifinals, Texas’ Betsy Mitchell set an American record in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:00.12 as the Longhorns routed USC, 92-21. Tracy Caulkins held the old mark of 1:01.11, set in 1981.

Stanford’s women won the other semifinal, defeating UCLA, 75-38. Jenna Johnson won the 100- and 200-meter freestyle races and anchored the Cardinal to a win in the 400 freestyle relay.

Today’s finals will start at noon.