Evans Wins 400 Individual Medley to Become First Double Winner

CLOVIS, Calif. — Janet Evans of Placentia, who on Monday set a world record in the 800-meter freestyle, became the first double winner of the Phillips 66/U.S. Swimming Long Course National Championships when she won the women’s 400-meter individual medley Wednesday.

Her time of 4 minutes 41.74 seconds was the second-best in the world this year.

“After I got out of the water, a girl told me, ‘If you had finished with a 1:01 like you did in the 800, you would have had the record,’ ” Evans said, shaking her head in disbelief. “The IM is a lot harder for me than the 800. . . .

“The (butterfly) is my weakest stroke, but we’ve been working on it a lot. I’m usually faster in the breaststroke. I’m faster if there’s somebody ahead of me. But I guess if you want to swim that kind of time, there can’t be anyone ahead of you.”