Le Clos safely into 200m butterfly semis

Cape Town - Defending champion Chad le Clos has qualified third-fastest for the semi-finals of the men's 200m butterfly at the Rio Olympics.

Le Clos, swimming in heat 2, finished in 1:55:57, the quickest in that particular heat.

Le Clos famously edged Michael Phelps for the gold medal in the event in London in 2012.

Phelps was only third-fastest in his heat (and fifth-fastest overall) in a time of 1:55:73, behind winner Hungary's Tamás Kenderesi (1:54:73) who was quickest of all.

Fellow Hungarian László Cseh was the winner in the fourth and final heat in 1:55:14.

Le Clos' compatriot Sebastien Rousseau finished a distant eighth - and last - in his heat (1:57:33) and failed to reach the semi-finals.

The semi-finals will take place later on Monday night (Tuesday at 04:10 SA time), with the final scheduled for 03:28 (SA time) on Wednesday.