Milak, 19, finished the event in 1 minute, 50.73 seconds, shaving .78 seconds off the mark set by Phelps in the 2009 World Championships, Phelps had held the world record in the 200-meter butterfly since 2001, NBC Sports reported. Olympic historians Bill Mallon and Hilary Evans told the network that Phelps' 18-year record in the event was the longest in swimming history.
Phelps' 2009 mark was 1:51.51, the BBC reported.
“I tried to switch off everything, and I tried not to think of swimming at all before the race,” MIlak told reporters after the event. “It’s a tremendous honor to set such a great record.”
Phelps, who broke 39 world records during his career, won a total of eight Olympic and world titles in the 200-meter butterfly event. He retired after the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Phelps still is the world record-holder in the 100-meter butterfly and 400-meter individual medley events.
The last swimmer to break one of Phelps' world records was Milorad Cavic, who set a mark in the 100-meter butterfly at the 2009 World Championships. Phelps regained the record the next day, NBC Sports reported.
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