Biedermann aiming for London Olympic swim medals

BERLIN (AFP) –

Germany’s double world-record holder Paul Biedermann, seen here in 2011, is hoping to produce the race of his career at the London Olympic Games as he looks to again beat US swim superstar Michael Phelps.

Germany’s double world-record holder Paul Biedermann is hoping to produce the race of his career at the London Olympic Games as he looks to again beat US swim superstar Michael Phelps.

The 25-year-old German set both the 200m and 400m freestyle world records at the 2009 world championships in Rome when he beat Phelps to gold over the shorter distance and took his record in the process.

He broke Phelps’ 200m freestyle record, set at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, with a time of one minute 42 seconds dead and the pair are set to clash again over the same distance at London’s Aquatic Centre in July.

“The race of my life, I hope, is yet to come,” Biedermann told the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper.

“I believe the 200m freestyle final will be one of the best there has been.

“There won’t be one faster any time soon.

“All eight who qualify for the final in London will have a real chance to become Olympic champion.”

Both Phelps and Biedermann were beaten by US swimmer Ryan Lochte in the 200m freestyle final in last year’s world championships in Shanghai.

Ahead of London, Biedermann says comparisons between him and Phelps, 26, are inappropriate after the American claimed eight gold medals in Beijing to add to the six gold and two bronze medals he won at the 2004 Athens games.

“How many Olympic medals has he got? 16? I have zero,” said the German who also holds the world 400m record of three minutes 40.07seconds.

“We are worlds apart. I don’t think you can compare me to him.

“There will be competition (between us) forever.”

Biedermann says he feels Phelps has changed his behaviour towards him since the 2009 world championships, which was the last major event before performance-enhancing polyurethane swimsuits were banned.

“In 2009, I was just a bloke who took his world record away wearing the suit, now I have shown that I am at the top of the world level without it,” said Biedermann.