Phelps in a class of his own with another gold and record

By Peter Auf der Heyde Mar 29, 2007, 11:19 GMT

Melbourne - Michael Phelps On Thursday continued at the swimming world championships where he left off the night before, as he smashed yet another world record en route to his fourth world championships title.

The 21-year-old American took the 200m medley title in 1 minute 54.98 seconds, more than one second ahead of compatriot Ryan Lochte who clocked 1:56.19 minutes.

Hungarian Laszlo Cseh took the bronze in a time of 1:56.92.

Phelps, who beat the previous world record mark by 0.86 seconds, said that he was satisfied to have been rewarded for his work again.

'I am just happy to swim fast again and have my training work. I went out there and went after it. That is what I have been doing for every race. Why stop something that works?' said Phelps.

The American won all three individual world titles so far in world record times. Phelps also has a 4x100m freestyle relay gold as he reached the halfway mark in his bid for an unprecedented eight titles in the Rod Laver Arena.

There was a rare dead-heat for gold in the men's 100m freestyle, with Italian Filippo Magnini and Canadian Brent Hayden both posting times of 48.43 seconds. As they came out of the water, they immediately posed together for photographers holding up each others arms.

The bronze medal went to Australian Eamon Sullivan, who was just 0.04 seconds behind.

There was, however, plenty to cheer about for the partisan crowd in the next race as Jessicah Schipper won the women's 200m butterfly for Australia in 2:06.39 minutes.

American Kimberly Vandenberg won the silver, posting 2:06.71 seconds, while the bronze went to Otylia Jedrzejczak of Poland in 2:06.90 seconds.

The finals of the women's 50m backstroke and the women's 4x200m freestyle relay were to be held later Thursday at the Rod Laver Arena.