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Dolan grew up swimming for Rick Curl and the Curl-Burke Swim Club, along with Washington Golf & Country Club during the summer. Dolan held the world record in the 400 m individual medley longer than any other swimmer in history (eight years), including Tamás Darnyi, Alex Baumann, Jesse Vassallo, Charles Hickcox, Dick Roth and Ted Stickles. He is the third swimmer to win successive 400 m I.M. Olympic gold medals (1996 and 2000), along with Hungary's Darnyi and Michael Phelps. At 6'6" tall and 3% body fat, Dolan was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma and a narrowed windpipe, which would side-line the normal person. He only trained harder and exhaustion, dizziness and occasional blackouts never stopped him from swimming. Coached by Rick Curl and later Urbancheck, Dolan also set two world records, won two gold medals in World Championship swimming, won nine NCAA National Championships and fourteen U.S. National Championships. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) in 2006. Tom is currently working with Carlile Swimming in Australia to help bring their swim school model to the US. |