Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre individual medley Semifinal 1 Semifinal 1

| Rank_ | Lane | Name_ | Nationality | Time_ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Michael Phelps | United States | 1:57.70 |
| 2 | 4 | László Cseh | Hungary | 1:58.19 |
| 3 | 5 | Ken Takakuwa | Japan | 1:58.49 |
| 4 | 1 | Liam Tancock | Great Britain | 1:59.42 |
| 5 | 6 | Keith Beavers | Canada | 1:59.43 |
| 6 | 2 | Darian Townsend | South Africa | 1:59.65 |
| 7 | 7 | Gal Nevo | Israel | 2:00.43 |
| 8 | 8 | Dinko Jukić | Austria | 2:00.98 |