Lochte overtakes Phelps to take gold

American Ryan Lochte won the gold in the men's 200-meter freestyle at the 2011 World Swimming Championships on Tuesday, overtaking countryman and Olympic champion Michael Phelps on the final turn.

Lochte touched the wall in one minute, 44.44 seconds followed by Phelps, who clocked 1:44.79, while German Paul Biedermann settled for the bronze.

Lochte, 26, has been second fiddle to Phelps for long but overpowered a high-class field here.

"It's the most challenging competition (I've ever raced)," Lochte was quoted as saying in the Guardian. "I have done all the training I can. There were a couple of bumps in the road but for most of it, I was a straight shot. I think it was my time tonight."

Phelps had targeted the race to prove that his aura as one of the best swimmers of all
his not lost.

He started strongly leading at both the 50m and 100m marks before Lochte went past Phelps halfway down the third lap.

The pair turned for home within 0.6sec of each other but Lochte succeeded in overtaking him to win by marginal 0.35sec.