| | Event type
400 metres Individual Medley, Men
| Date | 27 July 1980 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Plavatelny basseyn, Sportivny kompleks Olimpiysky, Moskva |
| Participants | 24 from 15 countries |
The world record holder was American Jesse Vassallo, who had finished in 4:20.05 at the 1978 World Championships to win gold, a mark that bettered his own world record from the 1978 US Nationals. In his absence the favorite was Soviet Sergey Fesenko, silver medalist from the 1978 Worlds, and 1977 European Champion, who had recorded 4:22.10 earlier in the year. But he was upset by his teammate Oleksandr Sydorenko, bronze medalist in the 200 IM at the 1978 Worlds and the 1977 Europeans, with Fesenko taking silver behind Sydorenko’s 4:22.89. Sydorenko would later win gold in the 200 IM at the 1981 European meet and the 1982 Worlds. In Moscow he brazenly said that he did not think the 400 IM results would have been different if Vassallo had been present. Vassallo probably did not think much of this remark and three days after the Moscow final, won the US Nationals in 4:21.51
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | R1 | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 333 | Aleksandr Sidorenko |  URS | 4:28.02 (1 h4) | 4:22.89 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 306 | Sergey Fesenko | URS | 4:28.18 (2 h3) | 4:23.43 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 205 | Zoltán Verrasztó |  HUN | 4:25.57 (1 h1) | 4:24.24 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 184 | András Hargitay | HUN | 4:27.00 (1 h3) | 4:24.48 (4) | |||
| 5 | 43 | Djan Madruga |  BRA | 4:28.77 (1 h2) | 4:26.81 (5) | |||
| 6 | 297 | Miloslav Roľko |  TCH | 4:29.19 (2 h2) | 4:26.99 (6) | |||
| 7 | 247 | Leszek Górski |  POL | 4:26.02 (2 h1) | 4:28.89 (7) | |||
| 8 | 296 | Daniel Machek | TCH | 4:28.66 (3 h3) | 4:29.86 (8) | |||
| 9 | 125 | Simon Gray |  GBR | 4:29.43 (3 h2) | – | |||
| 10 | 198 | Csaba Sós | HUN | 4:29.69 (2 h4) | – | |||
| 11 | 249 | Dariusz Wolny | POL | 4:31.28 (4 h3) | – | |||
| 12 | 45 | Ricardo Prado | BRA | 4:31.69 (3 h1) | – | |||
| 13 | 284 | Thomas Lejdström |  SWE | 4:33.05 (3 h4) | – | |||
| 14 | 217 | Giovanni Franceschi |  ITA | 4:33.66 (4 h2) | – | |||
| 15 | 332 | Vladimir Shemetov | URS | 4:34.01 (5 h3) | – | |||
| 16 | 131 | Steve Poulter | GBR | 4:35.21 (4 h4) | – | |||
| 17 | 35 | Franky De Groote |  BEL | 4:36.99 (6 h3) | – | |||
| 18 | 238 | Guillermo Zavala |  MEX | 4:37.58 (7 h3) | – | |||
| 19 | 156 | Vangelis Koskinas |  GRE | 4:39.44 (4 h1) | – | |||
| 20 | – | Gary Andersson | SWE | 4:41.32 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 21 | 69 | Andrey Aguilar |  CRC | 4:41.74 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 22 | 96 | Rafael Escalas |  ESP | 4:42.49 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 23 | 20 | Paul Moorfoot |  AUS | 4:43.28 (5 h2) | – | |||
| 145 | Jörg Walter |  GDR | – (DQ h4) | – | ||||
| 377 | António Monteiro |  ANG | – (DNS h2) | – | ||||
| – | Max Metzker | AUS | – (DNS h3) | – | ||||
| 341 | Jean-Marie François |  VEN | – (DNS h3) | – |
Round One
| Date | 27 July 1980 — 10:30 |
|---|---|
| Format | Fastest eight advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Zoltán Verrasztó | HUN | 4:25.57 | ||
| 2 | – | Leszek Górski | POL | 4:26.02 | ||
| 3 | – | András Hargitay | HUN | 4:27.00 | ||
| 4 | – | Aleksandr Sidorenko | URS | 4:28.02 | ||
| 5 | – | Sergey Fesenko | URS | 4:28.18 | ||
| 6 | – | Daniel Machek | TCH | 4:28.66 | ||
| 7 | – | Djan Madruga | BRA | 4:28.77 | ||
| 8 | – | Miloslav Roľko | TCH | 4:29.19 | ||
| 9 | – | Simon Gray | GBR | 4:29.43 | ||
| 10 | – | Csaba Sós | HUN | 4:29.69 | ||
| 11 | – | Dariusz Wolny | POL | 4:31.28 | ||
| 12 | – | Ricardo Prado | BRA | 4:31.69 | ||
| 13 | – | Thomas Lejdström | SWE | 4:33.05 | ||
| 14 | – | Giovanni Franceschi | ITA | 4:33.66 | ||
| 15 | – | Vladimir Shemetov | URS | 4:34.01 | ||
| 16 | – | Steve Poulter | GBR | 4:35.21 | ||
| 17 | – | Franky De Groote | BEL | 4:36.99 | ||
| 18 | – | Guillermo Zavala | MEX | 4:37.58 | ||
| 19 | – | Vangelis Koskinas | GRE | 4:39.44 | ||
| 20 | – | Gary Andersson | SWE | 4:41.32 | ||
| 21 | – | Andrey Aguilar | CRC | 4:41.74 | ||
| 22 | – | Rafael Escalas | ESP | 4:42.49 | ||
| 23 | – | Paul Moorfoot | AUS | 4:43.28 | ||
| – | Jörg Walter | GDR | – | |||
| – | António Monteiro | ANG | – | |||
| – | Max Metzker | AUS | – | |||
| – | Jean-Marie François | VEN | – |
Heat #1
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | 100 m | 200 m | 300 m | 100-200 m Time (Rank) | 200-300 m Time (Rank) | 300-400 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Zoltán Verrasztó | HUN | 4:25.57 | 1:00.20 (2) | 2:06.31 (1) | 3:26.22 (1) | 1:06.11 (1) | 1:19.91 (3) | 59.35 (1) | ||
| 2 | – | Leszek Górski | POL | 4:26.02 | 59.95 (1) | 2:07.10 (2) | 3:26.55 (2) | 1:07.15 (2) | 1:19.45 (2) | 59.47 (2) | ||
| 3 | – | Ricardo Prado | BRA | 4:31.69 | 1:01.21 (3) | 2:08.89 (3) | 3:28.00 (3) | 1:07.68 (3) | 1:19.11 (1) | 1:03.69 (3) | ||
| 4 | – | Vangelis Koskinas | GRE | 4:39.44 | 1:02.02 (4) | 2:14.02 (4) | 3:35.09 (4) | 1:12.00 (4) | 1:21.07 (5) | 1:04.35 (5) | ||
| 5 | – | Andrey Aguilar | CRC | 4:41.74 | 1:02.60 (5) | 2:14.90 (5) | 3:35.88 (5) | 1:12.30 (5) | 1:20.98 (4) | 1:05.86 (6) | ||
| 6 | – | Rafael Escalas | ESP | 4:42.49 | 1:03.16 (6) | 2:16.50 (6) | 3:38.60 (6) | 1:13.34 (6) | 1:22.10 (6) | 1:03.89 (4) |
Heat #2
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | 100 m | 200 m | 300 m | 100-200 m Time (Rank) | 200-300 m Time (Rank) | 300-400 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Djan Madruga | BRA | 4:28.77 | 1:01.30 (4) | 2:06.61 (2) | 3:29.20 (3) | 1:05.31 (1) | 1:22.59 (4) | 59.57 (1) | ||
| 2 | – | Miloslav Roľko | TCH | 4:29.19 | 59.48 (1) | 2:06.03 (1) | 3:26.82 (1) | 1:06.55 (3) | 1:20.79 (3) | 1:02.37 (3) | ||
| 3 | – | Simon Gray | GBR | 4:29.43 | 59.67 (2) | 2:07.99 (4) | 3:28.45 (2) | 1:08.32 (4) | 1:20.46 (2) | 1:00.98 (2) | ||
| 4 | – | Giovanni Franceschi | ITA | 4:33.66 | 1:01.16 (3) | 2:10.47 (5) | 3:30.66 (4) | 1:09.31 (6) | 1:20.19 (1) | 1:03.00 (4) | ||
| 5 | – | Paul Moorfoot | AUS | 4:43.28 | 1:02.11 (5) | 2:07.94 (3) | 3:31.67 (5) | 1:05.83 (2) | 1:23.73 (5) | 1:11.61 (6) | ||
| 6 | – | Gary Andersson | SWE | 4:41.32 | 1:02.33 (6) | 2:10.84 (6) | 3:37.59 (6) | 1:08.51 (5) | 1:26.75 (6) | 1:03.73 (5) | ||
| – | António Monteiro | ANG | – | – (–) | – (–) | – (–) | – | – | – |
Heat #3
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | 100 m | 200 m | 300 m | 100-200 m Time (Rank) | 200-300 m Time (Rank) | 300-400 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | András Hargitay | HUN | 4:27.00 | 59.16 (1) | 2:08.63 (2) | 3:24.99 (1) | 1:09.47 (6) | 1:16.36 (1) | 1:02.01 (4) | ||
| 2 | – | Sergey Fesenko | URS | 4:28.18 | 59.21 (2) | 2:07.67 (1) | 3:26.25 (2) | 1:08.46 (3) | 1:18.58 (2) | 1:01.93 (3) | ||
| 3 | – | Daniel Machek | TCH | 4:28.66 | 1:01.41 (5) | 2:09.89 (5) | 3:29.25 (3) | 1:08.48 (4) | 1:19.36 (4) | 59.41 (1) | ||
| 4 | – | Dariusz Wolny | POL | 4:31.28 | 1:01.11 (3) | 2:10.40 (6) | 3:29.65 (4) | 1:09.29 (5) | 1:19.25 (3) | 1:01.63 (2) | ||
| 5 | – | Vladimir Shemetov | URS | 4:34.01 | 1:02.00 (7) | 2:09.66 (4) | 3:30.55 (5) | 1:07.66 (1) | 1:20.89 (5) | 1:03.46 (5) | ||
| 6 | – | Franky De Groote | BEL | 4:36.99 | 1:01.29 (4) | 2:09.27 (3) | 3:32.67 (6) | 1:07.98 (2) | 1:23.40 (7) | 1:04.32 (7) | ||
| 7 | – | Guillermo Zavala | MEX | 4:37.58 | 1:01.72 (6) | 2:11.99 (7) | 3:33.83 (7) | 1:10.27 (7) | 1:21.84 (6) | 1:03.75 (6) | ||
| – | Max Metzker | AUS | – | – (–) | – (–) | – (–) | – | – | – | |||
| – | Jean-Marie François | VEN | – | – (–) | – (–) | – (–) | – | – | – |
Heat #4
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | 100 m | 200 m | 300 m | 100-200 m Time (Rank) | 200-300 m Time (Rank) | 300-400 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Aleksandr Sidorenko | URS | 4:28.02 | 1:00.10 (2) | 2:06.52 (1) | 3:24.24 (1) | 1:06.42 (1) | 1:17.72 (2) | 1:03.78 (3) | ||
| 2 | – | Csaba Sós | HUN | 4:29.69 | 1:00.33 (3) | 2:11.27 (3) | 3:28.75 (2) | 1:10.94 (3) | 1:17.48 (1) | 1:00.94 (2) | ||
| 3 | – | Thomas Lejdström | SWE | 4:33.05 | 1:01.51 (4) | 2:10.28 (2) | 3:32.62 (4) | 1:08.77 (2) | 1:22.34 (4) | 1:00.43 (1) | ||
| 4 | – | Steve Poulter | GBR | 4:35.21 | 59.96 (1) | 2:12.02 (4) | 3:30.90 (3) | 1:12.06 (4) | 1:18.88 (3) | 1:04.31 (4) | ||
| – | Jörg Walter | GDR | – | – (–) | – (–) | – (–) | – | – | – |
Final Round
| Date | 27 July 1980 — 19:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitor | NOC | Time | 100 m | 200 m | 300 m | 100-200 m Time (Rank) | 200-300 m Time (Rank) | 300-400 m Time (Rank) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | Aleksandr Sidorenko | URS | 4:22.89 | 59.18 (4) | 2:04.59 (2) | 3:20.81 (1) | 1:05.41 (2) | 1:16.22 (2) | 1:02.08 (8) | ||
| 2 | – | Sergey Fesenko | URS | 4:23.43 | 58.15 (1) | 2:06.34 (5) | 3:23.04 (2) | 1:08.19 (5) | 1:16.70 (3) | 1:00.39 (4) | ||
| 3 | – | Zoltán Verrasztó | HUN | 4:24.24 | 59.45 (5) | 2:05.06 (3) | 3:24.74 (4) | 1:05.61 (3) | 1:19.68 (6) | 59.50 (1) | ||
| 4 | – | András Hargitay | HUN | 4:24.48 | 58.82 (3) | 2:08.25 (7) | 3:24.01 (3) | 1:09.43 (8) | 1:15.76 (1) | 1:00.47 (5) | ||
| 5 | – | Djan Madruga | BRA | 4:26.81 | 1:00.10 (7) | 2:04.42 (1) | 3:26.27 (5) | 1:04.32 (1) | 1:21.85 (8) | 1:00.54 (6) | ||
| 6 | – | Miloslav Roľko | TCH | 4:26.99 | 58.71 (2) | 2:06.14 (4) | 3:26.87 (6) | 1:07.43 (4) | 1:20.73 (7) | 1:00.12 (3) | ||
| 7 | – | Leszek Górski | POL | 4:28.89 | 59.91 (6) | 2:08.20 (6) | 3:27.70 (7) | 1:08.29 (6) | 1:19.50 (5) | 1:01.19 (7) | ||
| 8 | – | Daniel Machek | TCH | 4:29.86 | 1:00.92 (8) | 2:10.34 (8) | 3:29.77 (8) | 1:09.42 (7) | 1:19.43 (4) | 1:00.09 (2) |