Beijing: Italy's Federica Pellegrini bounced back from bombing out on a medal in the 400 metres freestyle to smash the 200m freestyle world record in the evening heats at the Beijing Olympics on Monday.
Pellegrini confirmed herself as the favourite for Wednesday's final when she shaved 0.07secs off the previous world record held by Laure Manaudou of France in a time of one minute 55.45 seconds.
The Italian sprinter now owns both the 200m and 400m freestyle world records and continues her intense rivalry with Manaudou, even as far as taking her boyfriend Italian Olympic swimmer Luca Marin amid racy headlines.
"I wanted to show I am in form," Pellegrini said. "We never trained to race early in the day and that was revenge for what happened this morning.
"I definitely didn't want to set a world record, but I felt good in the water. There is still a long way to go."
Pellegrini's record capped a lousy day in the pool for French diva Manaudou.
The defending Olympic champion and current world champion trailed in last place behind Britain's gold medal-winning Rebecca Adlington in the 400m freestyle final and then relinquished her 200m freestyle world record to her deadly rival Pellegrini.
Pellegrini, who turns 20 this month, had usurped the European 400m title and world record off Manaudou in Eindhoven last March.
Slovenia's Sara Isakovic, who had set an Olympic record of 1:55.86 before it was surpassed by Pellegrini, and Britain's Caitlin McClatchey (1:56.97) were second and third-fastest qualifiers into Tuesday's semi-finals.
"I am pleased Federica got the record, I felt bad for her in the 400 this morning and I was expecting her to win there - maybe there was too much pressure on her," Isakovic said.
American superstar Michael Phelps edged closer to another gold medal when he posted an Olympic record in leading the field into Tuesday's semi-finals of the 200m butterfly.
The 23-year-old swimming wonder, who became the first man to go under one minute 55 seconds and has lowered the 200 fly world record a further four times in the last seven years, cruised in as fastest qualifier in 1:53.70 ahead of Hungarian Laszlo Cseh (1:54.48) and Brazilian Kaio Almeida (1:54.65).
Phelps already has two gold medals in the 400m medley and 4x100m freestyle relay in his chase after an historic eight golds in Beijing.
"I wouldn't say I went out and cruised it this evening, but I just swam it. It doesn't matter until the finals," he said.
World record-holder Stephanie Rice was a controlled sixth-fastest behind fellow Australian Alicia Coutts in the heats of the 200m medley.
Rice, who smashed the world record in leading all the way in the 400m medley on Sunday, clocked 2:12.07 with Coutts topping the boards with 2:11.55 ahead of American Katie Hoff (2:11.58), who is looking for her first gold at the Beijing Games after a silver in the 400m freestyle and bronze in the 400m medley.
"It was a heat swim, so there are 16 places up for grabs, no need to pull it out and have records here," Rice said.
"It's all about just getting to the final and getting a good lane."
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