By Phillip Whitten
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida, Aug. 15. BOTH Michael Phelps and Erik Vendt broke Tom Dolan's world record in the 400 meter Individual Medley. Phelps, the world record-holder in the 200 meter butterfly, clocked 4:11.09. Vendt was a touch behind in 4:11.27.
Dolan had held the record for one month shy of eight years. He first set ita at 4:12.30 at the World Championships in Rome in 1994. He lowered it to 4:11.76 in winning gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
World Record Progression in the 400m IM
4:38.7 Gary Hall (USA) 11/07/69
4:33.9 Gary Hall (USA) 15/08/69
4:31.0 Gary Hall (USA) 21/08/70
4:30.81 Gary Hall (USA) 03/08/72
4:28.89 Andras Hargitay (Hungary) 20/08/74
4:26.00 Zoltan Verraszto (Hungary) 02/04/76
4:23.68 Rod Strachan (USA) 25/07/76
4:23.39 Jesse Vasallo (USA) 04/08/78
4:20.05 Jesse Vasallo (USA) 22/08/78
4:19.78 Ricardo Prado (Brazil) 02/08/82
4:19.61 Jens-Peter Berndt (E Ger.) 23/05/84
4:17.53 Alex Baumann (Canada) 17/06/84
4:17.41 Alex Baumann (Canada) 30/07/84
4:16.12 Dave Wharton (USA) 14/08/87
4:15.42 Tamas Darnyi (Hungary) 19/08/87
4:14.75 Tamas Darnyi (Hungary) 21/09/88
4:12.36 Tamas Darnyi (Hungary) 08/01/91
4:12.30 Tom Dolan (USA) 06/09/94
4:11.76 Tom Dolan (USA) 17/09/00
4:11.09 Michael Phelps (USA) 15/08/02