SHANGHAI - Michael Phelps is going after Paul Biedermann, and this time he’s got help.
Having been handed “a pretty good beatdown’’ by the German in the 200-meter freestyle two years ago in Rome, Phelps gets a long-awaited chance at revenge in the world championships.
Biedermann trounced Phelps and took away his world record in Rome, where everyone was wearing the high-tech bodysuits that are now banned.
This time, it should be a fair fight.
Phelps and Biedermann won’t be going one-on-one, though. They’ll be joined by what Phelps described as “a studly field’’ in tonight’s final at the Oriental Sports Center.
Yannick Agnel of France was the fastest qualifier in the semifinals, with Biedermann second, American Ryan Lochte third, Park Tae-hwan of South Korea fourth, and Phelps fifth.
“It’s going to be down to the last 50 [meters],’’ Phelps said. “There are some guys that have front-half speed and some guys that close extremely well. You can probably guarantee that it’s going to be a tight group.’’
Lochte didn’t swim the 200 free in Rome, but he figures to be a major presence this time. “It’s going to be definitely a dogfight,’’ he said, noting that he and Phelps will swim next to each other. “I’m going to kind of move over to the lane line and draft off him. Hopefully we can put something together and pull out a 1-2 race.’’
The Americans earned their first gold medal yesterday, with Dana Vollmer winning the 100 butterfly in 56.87 seconds. No world records were set in the first two days of the meet, with everyone wearing textile suits.
Emotions ran high for Brazil’s Cesar Cielo and Alexander Dale Oen of Norway, but for opposite reasons.
Cielo won the 50 butterfly days after being cleared of a doping offense by the Court of Arbitration for Sport during an emergency hearing in Shanghai. He let out a yell after touching in 23.10, then took off his goggles and cap and sobbed while hanging on the lane rope for several seconds.
Dale Oen led from start to finish to take gold in the 100 breaststroke, then pointed to the Norwegian flag on his cap in honor of the people killed during the twin attacks in his country.
Host China claimed its first gold when 15-year-old Ye Shiwen rallied from fifth to first during the freestyle leg in the women’s 200 individual medley. She won in 2:08.90.
In the 100 breaststroke semifinals, defending champion Rebecca Soni of the United States coasted through the semifinals in 1:04.91 - 1.75 seconds ahead of Aussie rival Leisel Jones.
