China's Sun Yang reacts after the heats of the men's 800 meters freestyle swimming event at the FINA World Championships on Tuesday in Barcelona. Photo: IC

Sun Yang eased into the final of the men's 800 meters freestyle on Tuesday as he continued his bid for a hat trick of distance golds at the world swimming championships in Barcelona.

The towering Chinese matched a feat previously achieved only by Grant ­Hackett when he romped to the 400 ­meters freestyle title on Sunday, ­becoming only the second man after the Australian to claim world titles at 400, 800 and 1,500 meters.

While Sun's three titles have come at two different championships - he won the 800 and 1,500 in Shanghai two years ago and was second in the 400 - he is on course to match Hackett's three golds from the 2005 edition in Montreal.

"I feel good, the kind of feeling you always have in the preliminaries," Sun, gold medalist at 400 and 1,500 meters at last year's London Olympic Games, told reporters.

The 22-year-old said he was not ­thinking about breaking Zhang Lin's world record for the 800, which his compatriot set in Rome in 2009 with the aid of a now-banned non-textile suit.

Sun was second quickest in the 800 heats on Tuesday behind Connor ­Jaeger of the US, with Canada's Ryan ­Cochrane, silver medalist in Shanghai and third at the Rome world championships in 2009, third fastest.

In the morning's other heats, Frenchwoman Camille Muffat set the pace in the women's 200 meters freestyle ahead of Hungary's Katinka Hosszu, gold ­medalist in Monday's 200 meters ­individual medley, and world record holder Federica Pellegrini.

Pellegrini is swimming the event in Barcelona despite saying before the championships that she was focusing on the 200 meters backstroke.

American teenager Missy Franklin, who is swimming eight events including relays, was fifth fastest.

South Africa's Chad le Clos caused a sensation when he beat decorated American Michael Phelps to win 200 meters butterfly gold in London and he was second quickest in the heats for the event in Barcelona, behind American Tyler Clary.

In the men's 50 meters breast stroke, another non-Olympic distance, ­Cameron van der Burgh of South ­Africa swam 0.11 seconds outside his own world record to top the heats.

Australian Christian Sprenger, who beat Van der Burgh into second to win the 100 meters breast stroke gold on Monday, was fourth quickest in 27.30.

Italy's Fabio Scozzoli, silver ­medalist at the last world championships in Shanghai, did not qualify.

Reuters - Global Times