Soviet Breaks Her Own Hurdles Mark

MOSCOW — Marina Stepanova of the Soviet Union broke her world record in the women’s 400-meter intermediate hurdles Wednesday and became the first woman to run the event in less than 53 seconds, clocking 52.94.

Stepanova had set the previous mark of 53.32 in the European Track and Field Championships at Stuttgart, West Germany, on Aug. 30.

She broke the record Wednesday in the Spartakiad meet in the central Asian city of Tashkent, the official news agency Tass said. Stepanova, 36, was participating as a “special contestant,” since the meet, designed to showcase Soviet youth, carries an age restriction of 23.