BEIJING -- Michael Phelps won his sixth gold medal of the Beijing Olympics on Friday in record time, defeating rivals Laszlo Cseh and teammate Ryan Lochte in the 200-meter individual medley.

US swimmers Michael Phelps (L) and Ryan Lochte swim during the men's 200m individual medley swimming final at the National Aquatics Center during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on August 15, 2008. [Agencies]

Phelps defended his title from four years ago in Athens, winning in 1 minute, 54.23 seconds and lowering his own world record of 1:54.80 set at last month's US trials. It was the American's sixth world mark in Beijing.

Cseh of Hungary took the silver in 1:56.52, his third runner-up finish to Phelps in these games.

Lochte earned the bronze in 1:56.53, 29 minutes after he upset defending champion Aaron Peirsol to win the 200 back.

Lochte breaks record to win men's 200m backstroke gold

It was the 21st world record set during the swimming competition.

BEIJING -- Ryan Lochte of the United States broke the world record to win the men's 200m backstroke gold medal at the Beijing Olympic Games here on Friday.

US swimmer Ryan Lochte celebrates winning the men's 200m backstroke final at the National Aquatics Center during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on August 15, 2008. Lochte broke the men's 200m backstroke world record in winning Olympic gold in 1min 53.94sec. [Agencies] Video

Lochte clocked in the winning time of 1:53.94 to break his old world mark of 1:54.32 set up in March 2007.

His fellow American Aaron Peirsol won the silver in 1:54.33 and Russian Arkady Vyatchanin got the bronze in 1:54.93.