Biedermann retains 400m freestyle title

German swimming star Paul Biedermann retained his 400m freestyle title on the opening day of the European shortcourse swimming championships here on Thursday. The world record holder at the distance timed 3min 38.65sec to beat Denmark's Mads Glaesner (3:39.30). Biedermann was following up his defeat of 14-time Olympic champion Michael Phelps in the 200m freestyle at the short course World Cup in Moscow in October. Hungary's Laszlo Cseh, Olympic 400m medley silver medallist, won the mens' 400m medley. Among the women, Spain's Mirela Belmonte Garcia put her country atop the medals table with gold in the 200m butterfly and 200m medley.