Rome, July 29 (DPA) Italian swimming fans applauded two swimming heroes at the world championships after Alessia Filippi won gold in the women's 1,500m freestyle and Federica Pellegrini smashed her own women's 200m freestyle world record in the semi-finals.

There was also a rare defeat for American superstar Michael Phelps, who was crushed by German Paul Biedermann in the final of the men's 200m freestyle race here Tuesday.

Filippi received a standing ovation after winning the 1,500, while Pellegrini sat on the lane dividers soaking in the fans' applause after taking her own 200m freestyle record to one minute 53.67 seconds, beating her previous time of 1:54.47.

American Dana Vollmer had the second-fastest time in the semi- finals, followed by Briton's Joanne Jackson.

In the first race of the evening, Phelps was convincingly beaten by Biedermann, who broke the American's world record in the process.

The 22-year-old Biedermann, who Sunday broke the world record in winning the 400m freestyle, posted a time of 1:42.00, shaving nearly a second off Phelps' world record that stood at 1:42.92. Phelps swam a 1:43.22 in the final for the silver medal.

Biedermann said he was fighting back the pain. 'But I am overjoyed. It was a really great race. I knew that Michael took a lot from me on the change-overs, that is why my only chance was to beat him swimming and I managed to do that.'

The bronze medal went to Russian Danila Izotov, who finished 1:43.90.

Phelps, whose last defeat in a major championship dates back five years, said that he was not too disappointed.

'Theoretically that was a pretty good swim for me based on my best times after having taken six months off.

'I mean I am not happy but I know I did not train much this year, but for right now I will take it. But I am not very pleased.'

Phelps bounced back in the semi-finals of the men's 200m butterfly, when he qualified for the semi-finals with the second-fastest time.

Phelps' 1:53.35 was .13 seconds slower than Japan's Takeshi Matsuda.

In the second final of the session Briton Gemma Spofforth broke the world record in the women's 100m backstroke, when she took the gold medal in a time of 58.12 seconds.

Russian Anastasia Zueva won the silver medal in a time of 58.18, while Australian Emily Seebohm was the bronze medal winner in 58.