Sun fastest through to 200 meters freestyle final

China's Sun Yang swims to win the men's 400m freestyle final at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre July 28, 2012.

LONDON (Reuters) - Sun Yang and Ryan Lochte set up a mouthwatering clash that could decide bragging rights for the outstanding swimmer at the London Olympics when they booked their places in Monday's 200 meters freestyle final.

Sun, who won the 400 freestyle on Saturday to become the first Chinese man to win an Olympic swimming gold, clocked the fastest time of one minute, 45.61 seconds in Sunday's semi-finals.

Lochte, who won the 400 individual medley gold on Saturday, swam a more conservative semi, saving his energy for the men's 4x100 freestyle relay final, which was due to take place about an hour later at London's Aquatic Centre.

The American finished second in his heat behind German world record holder Paul Biedermann and fifth overall.

Frenchman Yannick Agnel was second overall after finishing a close second to Sun in the semi-finals while South Korea's Park Tae-hwan was third.

Park finished runner-up to Sun in the 400 free after being disqualified in the heats but winning an appeal to be reinstated.

Michael Phelps, who won the race in Beijing four years ago, did not enter this time despite winning the event at the U.S. trials.

(Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)