Biedermann edges past Phelps

Moscow - German swimming star Paul Biedermann beat 14-time Olympic champion Michael Phelps in the 200m freestyle at the short course swimming World Cup on Wednesday.

Biedermann, 25, the short course world record holder, clocked one minute 43.15sec to finish 0.16sec ahead of the American swimming legend.

However, Phelps then claimed the 200m backstroke with a time of one minute 53.24sec, finishing 0.28sec ahead of the second-placed local crowd's favourite Artem Dubovskoy.

In the women's section of the event three-time Olympic champion Therese Alshammar of Sweden won the 50m butterfly with a time of 25.06sec with second-placed China's Lu Ying 0.54sec behind.

Melissa Franklin of the United States collected two wins - 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke in 52.80sec and 57.39sec respectively.

Kanake Watanabe and Izumi Kato added a win for Japan, taking the 200m breaststroke and 400m individual medley respectively, while Gong Jie of China won the 200m butterfly.