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Racing in adjacent lanes in the second semi-final, Phelps
clocked one minute, 55.78 seconds and Lochte 1:56.28, a
turnaround from the morning heats where Lochte was first and
Phelps third.
Brazil's Thiago Pereira, who had led the Americans after the
butterfly and backstroke legs and was second behind Phelps at
the final turn, qualified third in 1:57.11 to give the home
country a shot at a first medal in the pool.
Japan's Kosuke Hagino, winner of the 400 IM on Saturday, won a
slower first semi-final to go through to Thursday's final in
fourth place.
In the same event at London in 2012, Phelps took the gold medal
and Lochte won silver.
Phelps, 31, is bidding to become the first swimmer to win the
same event at four consecutive Olympics, and to expand a career
medal haul that has grown this week to 25, all but four of them
gold.
Lochte, a year older, has 12 Olympic medals, six of them gold,
and the 200 IM is his only individual event in Rio after taking
gold alongside Phelps in Tuesday's 4x200 freestyle relay.
(Additional reporting and writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by
Toby Davis/Greg Stutchbury)
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