Phelps quickest in 200 butterfly heats

By Alan Baldwin

BEIJING (Reuters) - American powerhouse Michael Phelps followed up his second Olympic gold medal in two days on Monday with the fastest time in the heats for his signature 200 meters butterfly.

The American, world and Olympic champion in the event, was third at the first turn but surged into the lead on the final 50 to win his third race of the day by a body length.

"The events are getting shorter and shorter, I started off with the hardest one," said the American, whose time of 1:53.70 was well outside his own world record of 1:52.09.

"I just went out, I won't say I cruised it. I just swam it and tried to get into the semi-final. As long as you have a lane it doesn't matter where you are."

The 23-year-old, on course to beat compatriot Mark Spitz's 1972 mark of seven titles at a single Games, had earlier qualified for the 200 freestyle final and helped the U.S. to a stunning 4x100 freestyle relay gold in world record time.

Phelps has been in a class of his own this year in the 200 butterfly, the event in which he made his Olympic debut in 2000 as a 15-year-old and in which he claimed his first world championship in 2001.

Hungary's Laszlo Cseh was the second fastest qualifier, 0.78 off Phelps's time, with Brazil's Kaio Almeida third. The semi-finals are on Tuesday.

(Additional reporting by Martin Petty, editing by Greg Stutchbury)

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