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Phelps safely through to 100 butterfly semi-finals
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-07-31 22:44

ROME: Olympic champion Michael Phelps won his heat to qualify easily for the 100 butterfly semis as he began the defense of his world title on Friday.

Phelps safely through to 100 butterfly semi-finals
Michael Phelps of the US competes in the men's 100m butterfly swimming heats at the World Championships in Rome July 31, 2009. [Agencies]
The American, who retained his 200 butterfly crown on Wednesday with a world record, clocked 50.9 seconds, the joint-second quickest.

Serbia's Milorad Cavic, who won the 50 butterfly title on Monday, was fastest with a time of 50.56 while Phelps' time was equaled by compatriot Tyler McGill.

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"I did what I wanted to do," Phelps told reporters. "I think it's going to be between me, Cavic, (Spain's Rafael) Munoz and (Australia's Andrew) Lauterstein in the final. There's a bunch of real good butterfliers there."

Brazil's Olympic champion Cesar Cielo Filho, who broke the 47-second barrier to win the 100 freestyle with a world record on Thursday, set a new championship mark of 21.37 to reach the 50 freestyle semis.

Swede Stefan Nystrand was next on the timesheet after he beat French world record holder Frederick Bousquet into second place in their heat.

Defending champion Therese Alshammar was quickest in the women's 50 butterfly, going through to the next round in 25.44 to beat a championship record set in a previous heat by her Swedish compatriot and fellow qualifier Sarah Sjostrom.

Dutch world record holder Magdalena Veldhuis made it to the semi-finals with the second top showing.

But Australia's Libby Trickett, whose titles include the 100 butterfly Olympic crown, missed out after clocking the 17th best time.

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