Phelps retains 100m butterfly title in Shanghai

Michael Phelps claimed his second individual gold medal at the World Championships as he retained his 100 metres butterfly crown in Shanghai.

Missy Franklin secured more gold for the United States in the 200m backstroke when she swam the third fastest time in history.

Fourteen-time Olympic champion Phelps has had a mixed meet by his exalted standards, twice finishing second behind team-mate Ryan Lochte who has been the stand-out performer in China.

However, tonight Phelps added the 100m title to the four-length gold he retained earlier this week at the Oriental Sports Centre.

Turning third at the halfway mark, Phelps blitzed the second length to touch in 50.71 seconds – 0.44secs ahead of Konrad Czerniak of Poland with Tyler McGill of the United States in third.

Phelps said: “I thought I was going to be able to be a little faster.

“I don’t think I was out that fast. I think that’s something I need to judge a little bit better.

“I was back okay. I just need to push it going out more.”

Franklin led from start to finish to claim the 200m backstroke title in 2mins 05.10 ahead of Australia’s Belinda Hocking with third-placed Sharon van Rouwendaal more than two and a half seconds behind the American.

That time sets the 16-year-old behind only Kirsty Coventry and Anastasia Zueva who were both wearing performance-enhancing suits when they set their best times so underlining the quality of Franklin’s performance.

“I’m so happy right now,” Franklin said. “I just wanted to go out there and have fun.

“It was my last individual race at my first World Championships, and I’m never going to get that opportunity again.

“I definitely went out there and had a blast, and it was the most exciting race ever.”

Great Britain’s Rebecca Adlington fought out a private duel with defending champion Lotte Friis in the 800m freestyle before the Olympic title-holder won out.

The double Olympic champion produced a blistering final length of 28.91secs to win in 8mins 17.51secs.

Adlington said: “I don’t know what to say, I’m so happy.

“Obviously, it’s absolutely amazing.

“I’ve known Lotte from European Juniors right up until now at 22.

“We’ve always raced against each other and it’s always been one does it one year and one does it the next year but I hope to God it’s me next year.”

Cesar Cielo retained his 50m freestyle crown in 21.52secs ahead of Italy’s Luca Dotto and Alain Bernard of France.

The Brazilian had been cleared to race after the Court of Arbitration for Sport had accepted his explanation for a failed drugs test.

However, his victory was not universally welcomed, some of the crowd whistling, as he again wept on the podium although not in as much volume as after his 50m butterfly win earlier in the week.

The United States claimed their third gold medal of the night when their women’s 4x100m medley relay squad enjoyed a dominant victory over China and Australia.

Inge Dekker won the women’s 50m butterfly ahead of Sweden’s Therese Alshammar and Melanie Henique, the French enjoying a wonderful championships.

Jessica Hardy and Rebecca Soni head an American one-two into the 50m breaststroke final while Ranomi Kromowidjojo leads the 50m freestyle.

Liam Tancock of Great Britain was quickest into the 50m backstroke final as he looks to defend his crown.