Phelps and Mamaudou stay on track, Warnecke disappoints

Mar 27, 2007, 7:05 GMT

US swimmer Michael Phelps competes in the men\'s 200m butterfly heats at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday 27 March 2007. Phelps qualified for the semi-finals. EPA/GERO BRELOER

Melbourne - Swimming stars Michael Phelps and Laure Manaudou on Tuesday stayed on course in their mammoth programmes at the swimming world championships with comfortable victories in their heats to qualify for the semi-finals.

Phelps mowed down the field in the 200m butterfly at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne winning in a time of one minute 55.78 seconds, nearly a second faster than compatriot Davis Tarwater who had the second-fastest time.

'I felt good. The only thing big was in the last 50 metres, I tried to turn it on. There was a guy next to me, and I tried to get my hand on the wall first,' Phelps said.

France's Manaudou won the women's 200m freestyle in a time of 1:57.66 ahead of Katie Hoff of America and Sweden's Josefin Lillhage.

Manaudou, who has a gruelling three swims in Tuesday's evening session, said she was very pleased with her performance. 'I didn't know how I had to swim to perform well, so I just did it, I just swam.

'I have improved the French record by 0.2 of a second. I didn't feel any pressure, I was looking to swim a good race and I did a good last lap.

'It is going to be very hard this evening, three races is a lot but I will do it.'

In the men's 50m breaststroke defending champion Mark Warnecke of Germany was eliminated in the heats as 17th. The 37-year-old is expected to end his career at the end of the championships.

The fastest time in the heats was posted by 18-year-old South African Cameron Van Der Burgh, who beat his personal best by nearly a second with an impressive 27.49 seconds.

His time was a new African record. 'It feels great. I just swam the perfect race.'

He says he was looking forward to swimming in the medley relay. 'There's no top breaststroker in South Africa at the moment so it's great for me to be coming up. It's important in the medley relay with Ryk Neethling and Roland Schoeman.'

The second fastest qualifier was Italian Alessandro Terrin, while American Brendan Hansen, who on Monday won the men's 100m breaststroke had the third fastest time.

In the men's 800m Australian Craig Stevens led the way into the final with a time of 7:50.72, edging out Federico Colbertaldo into second place.

Overwhelming favourite Grant Hackett, who is the defending champion, posted the fifth-fastest time to also qualify for the final.