Michael Phelps Up For The Challenge After Easing Through

Michael Phelps qualified second in the 200 meters butterfly heats at the world championships on Tuesday, conserving his energy for one of the biggest challenges of his career.

The American, who won a record eight gold medals at last year's Beijing Olympics, eased into the semi-finals later in a time of 1 minute 54.35.

Poland's Pawel Korzeniowski was quickest in the heats but Phelps was unperturbed as he gears up for a battle with Germany's Paul Biedermann in the 200 freestyle final, also in Tuesday's late session.

Biedermann broke Ian Thorpe's long-standing world record to take gold in the 400 freestyle Sunday.

"He is swimming really well. He is probably having the best meet so far so being able to race him head-to-head, it's going to be fun tonight," Phelps told reporters.

"I never back down from challenges, I love challenges."

Biedermann has made staggering progress in the last year following the introduction of modern non-textile suits, which are due to be banned from 2010 after prompting a raft of world records and hitting swimming's credibility.

Phelps, back from a six month layoff that included a three-month ban for being photographed inhaling from a pipe used for smoking marijuana, won his heat in the 200 butterfly.

"I just wanted to win my heat, that's all I wanted to do this morning. The biggest thing about that event is just getting into the finals," said the 24-year-old, who has already picked up one gold in Rome in the U.S. 4x100 freestyle relay team. After 11 world records in the first two days at the venue for the 1960 Rome Olympics, Tuesday's heats were more subdued with crowd favorite Federica Pellegrini only qualifying sixth for the 200 freestyle semi later.

The Olympic 200 champion smashed the 400 world record to win gold Sunday.

South Africa's Cameron van der Burgh did break the championship record in the 50 breaststroke heats, clocking 26.92 seconds before a sparse crowd at the open-air pool.

Tunisia's 1,500 Olympic champion Oussama Mellouli was fastest in the men's 800 freestyle heats. (Additional reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Nigel Hunt)

Source