Michael Phelps wins 200 free to qualify for world championships

Phelps wins 200 free, qualifies for world meet

INDIANAPOLIS — Michael Phelps has won the 200-meter freestyle at the U.S. national swimming championships.

The 14-time Olympic gold medalist held off David Walters in the closing meters Wednesday night to touch first in 1 minute, 44.23 seconds. Walters finished in 1:44.95.

Ryan Lochte was third in 1:45.66. The eight-man field included the 800 freestyle relay team of Phelps, Lochte, Ricky Berens and Peter Vanderkaay that won gold at the Beijing Olympics, one of the record eight gold medals won by Phelps.

Phelps and Walters both earned trips to Rome for the world championships later this month.

Phelps was set to swim the 200 butterfly later in the evening.