Internet Desk: Michael Phelps swam the 200m butterfly as his only event in his Olympic debut at the Sydney Games in 2000. He won gold in the event in 2004 and 2008, but fell short in 2012. Le Clos took gold over Phelps by 0.05 seconds.
In Monday night’s semifinals, Phelps and le Clos did head-to-head battle in the same heat, racing in lanes 3 and 5.
Hungary’s Tamas Kenderesi won the heat in one minute, 53.96 seconds. Phelps clocked 1:54.12 to le Clos’ 1:55.19 seconds. Both move onto Tuesday’s final, which will be Phelps’ fifth. About an hour earlier in the session, le Clos earned a silver medal in the 200m freestyle.