BEIJING — Michael Phelps hung on the lane rope in a familiar pose, admiring another world record while his rivals gasped for breath. Make it 6-for-6 at the Beijing Games.

Next up: Mark Spitz and the grandest of Olympic records.

Blowing away the field, Phelps won the 200-meter individual medley today in a record 1 minute, 54.23 seconds — more than two seconds ahead of the next guy. He knocked off his own mark of 1:54.80 set at last month's U.S. trials, his sixth world record in China.

Phelps matched his wins from Athens four years ago, where he also took six golds along with two bronzes. He's already the winningest athlete in Olympic history with 12 golds, but his sights are on eight.

Spitz won seven golds at the 1972 Munich Games. Phelps has two more events to leave little doubt he's the greatest Olympian in history.

Ryan Lochte tried to pull off a daunting double, going against Phelps just 29 minutes after winning the 200 backstroke. He couldn't keep up, though he did hold on for bronze. Laszlo Cseh of Hungary picked up his third silver of the games — all of them trailing Phelps.

When the official results were posted, Phelps extended his right hand to Lochte in the next lane. The friends shook hands and patted each other on the head.

Later, they yukked it up on the medal stand before Phelps hustled off to grab his racing gear; he had to come right back for the semifinals of the 100 butterfly.

"I switched from my dress sweats to my parka, shoes, threw my cap and goggles on and then they pushed us on out. No time," he said. "The medal was in my warmup jacket."

History can't wait.

A half-hour after winning another gold, Phelps was second fastest behind Milorad Cavic of Croatia in the 100 fly, setting himself up to tie Spitz's record in tomorrow's final. World record-holder Ian Crocker of the U.S. bounced back from a disappointing swim in the prelims to post the third-fastest time.

"There wasn't much time," Phelps said, "but I think there's going to be a lot of time for me to rest over the next 18 hours or so, and I'll be able to be ready for tomorrow morning's 100."

If all goes according to plan, Phelps will get No. 7 in the fly — his signature stroke — and have the coronation Sunday in the 400 medley relay. The Americans are always heavily favored for gold in that one.

Nevertheless, he's taking nothing for granted, especially in the fly.

"It's never a relief," he said. "Tomorrow is going to be a tough race. For me to be a player in that race, I have to be closer at the 50. If I'm not, then it will be tough. I was over a body length behind at the 50 in the prelims and came up a bit short, so I have to be there."

Still, he showed little signs of tiring from the grueling schedule. He's already raced 15 times and has two more left — both going for gold.

"I actually don't feel too bad now," Phelps said.

That can't be encouraging for those swimmers who've come up with all sorts of amusing theories for Phelps' dominance. He's from outer space. He's come back from the future in a time machine. He's some sort of human rocket.

The official Xinhua News Agency dubbed Phelps "the American superfish."

Lochte got quite a consolation price: a world record and the first individual gold medal of his career in the backstroke. The laid-back Floridian edged teammate Aaron Peirsol in 1:53.94 to break the mark he shared with Peirsol.

"I touched the wall and was like, 'Thank you, finally,' " Lochte said. "It felt good the whole way."

Lochte was known as "Mr. Runner-up" for his frequent second-place finishes to Phelps and Peirsol. Then he stunned Peirsol at last year's world championships in 1:54.32, before Peirsol matched the time in beating Lochte at the U.S. Olympic trials last month.

Lochte got Peirsol back despite a problem with his LZR Racer.

"My suit came undone after the first 50," Lochte said. "I was just trying to control my legs."

Lochte couldn't tame Phelps, however, which would appear to leave Crocker as the last man standing between Phelps and his destiny.

"You can start by not worrying about what everybody else thinks," he said. "Nobody knows what I've really gone through in the last eight years and what has gotten me to this point, besides myself and a few people that I know well. So it's my own personal deal at this point."

Peirsol earned the silver in 1:54.33, while Russia's Arkady Vyatchanin claimed the bronze.

Rebecca Soni gave the U.S. women's swim team a much-needed boost, setting a world record in the 200 breaststroke with an upset of Australia's Leisel Jones. Jones was out front over the first 100, but Soni came on strong at the end, finishing a full body length ahead of the Aussie in 2:20.22. She beat Jones' mark of 2:20.54, set 2 1/2 years ago in Melbourne.

Jones claimed silver and Norway's Sara Nordenstam took bronze.