| Rank | Lane | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| - | 3 | Michael Phelps | United States | 1:54.27 | - |
| - | 4 | Ryan Lochte | United States | 1:54.90 | - |
| - | 5 | László Cseh | Hungary | 1:56.22 | - |
| 4 | 6 | Thiago Pereira | Brazil | 1:56.74 | - |
| 5 | 2 | Kosuke Hagino | Japan | 1:57.35 | - |
| 6 | 7 | Ken Takakuwa | Japan | 1:58.53 | - |
| 7 | 1 | James Goddard | Great Britain | 1:59.05 | - |
| 8 | 8 | Markus Deibler | Germany | 1:59.10 | - |