Norway's Alexander Dale Oen gestures after winning his men's 100m breaststroke semi-final at the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai, July 24, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

SHANGHAI - Norway's Alexander Dale Oen will ride a wave of emotion in the men's 100 metres breaststroke final at the world swimming championships on Monday.

Dale Oen, touching the Norwegian flag on his swimming cap every time he entered the pool deck on Sunday, qualified fastest for the final in Shanghai's Oriental Sports Centre though four-times Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima will be nipping at his heels when they close the day's competition on Monday.

With emotions still running high following the mass shooting and bombing in Oslo on Friday that killed at least 93 people, Dale Oen broke down in tears after the heats on Sunday and was still visibly shaken hours later.

"This is all about qualifying and it was getting very emotional," the Norwegian told reporters after he clocked 59.37 seconds. "You just need to push yourself after what happened back home.

"We can't let this one man destroy the future for us," he said referring to Anders Behring Breivik, who has claimed responsibility for the twin attacks.

Dale Oen added that his performance had been an effort to try "to honour those who had perished".

While Dale Oen will be under immense pressure, Australia's Geoff Huegill has said he will be under none when he swims in the men's 50 butterfly final.

The 32-year-old Huegill was second fastest qualifier for the final, behind Brazil's Cesar Cielo, and the big Australian nicknamed 'Skippy' said it would be a perfect preparation for the 100 butterfly, which is an Olympic event and the race he is mainly targeting.

"I don't have any pressure or expectation on myself. You step up, you race and you get your result. This is sport," Huegill said.

"If you want to go for a medal, you have to go strong. It's only 50 metres, so it's out of my control. I'm looking forward to getting into the pool and just enjoy for what it is."

Huegill's Australian compatriots Stephanie Rice, the Beijing Olympic champion, and Alicia Coutts, will be amongst the favourites for the women's 200 metres individual medley, though American world record holder Ariana Kukors and Chinese teenager Ye Shiwen will be dangerous, something Rice was well aware of.

"I finished behind the Chinese girl (Ye) this morning (during qualifying), but I got more confident tonight," Rice said. "I have to win the final but it's gonna be really tough."

Dana Vollmer of the US qualified fastest for the women's 100 butterfly final, though China's Lu Ying and Liu Zige will be roared home by a passionate and raucous crowd.

"I'm very excited about it," Vollmer said. "The Chinese are very strong. But I have to focus on my own race."

American Michael Phelps, who won a bronze in the men's 4x100 freestyle relay on Sunday, will make his first individual appearance in the men's 200 freestyle heats as he looks to begin his final London Olympics preparations.