ROME: American superstar Michael Phelps crashed to a rare defeat Tuesday when he was beaten in the final of the men’s 200m freestyle by Germany’s Paul Biedermann, who broke Phelps’ world record in the process. The 22-year-old Biedermann finished in a time of 1:42.00 minutes, shaving nearly a second off Phelps’ world record that stood at 1:42.92. Phelps swam a 1:43.22 in the final for the silver medal. The bronze medal went to Russian Danila Izotov, who finished 1:43.90. Phelps said that he was not too disappointed. “Theoretically that was a pretty good swim for me based on my best times after having taken six months off.

“I mean I am not happy but I know I did not train much this year, but for right now I will take it. But I am not very pleased.”

In the next final Briton Gemma Spofforth broke the world record in the women’s 100m backstroke, when she took the gold medal in a time of 58.12 seconds.

Russian Anastasia Zueva won the silver medal in a time of 58.18, while Australian Emily Seebohm was the bronze medal winner in 58.88.

Later Tuesday, Italian Alessia Filippi beat off a sustained challenge from Dane Lotte Friis to win the women’s 1,500 meters freestyle world title in front of an ecstatic home crowd. Filippi swam a championship record of 15 minutes 44.93.

“It is too little to say I am amazed. I wanted this medal, I wasn’t sure of getting it because my oppWonents are strong,” Filippi told reporters.

“My attitude has changed, there is a new Alessia. I heard the crowd, they gave me great drive.” Friis was quickest in the heats and led early on but Filippi wore her down before being roared on to victory at the Foro Italico’s open air pool. Camelia Alina Potec of Romania was a distant third. Rebecca Soni snatched gold in the women’s 100 meters breaststroke final. The American, who broke the world record in Monday’s semifinal, finished in one minute 04.93 with Russia’s Yuliya Efimova second and Kasey Carlson of the United States taking bronze. Japan’s Junya Koga grabbed gold in the men’s 100 meters backstroke final, beating the championship record he set in the semifinals to prevail with a time of 52.26 seconds.

Germany’s Helge Meeuw took silver and Spain’s Aschwin Wildeboer claimed the bronze medal.

World and Olympic champion Aaron Peirsol failed to make it past the semifinals on Monday.

The American backstroke ace can take consolation from the fact that the world record of 51.94 he set earlier this month still stands.