Lochte takes over from Phelps as medley maestro

Ryan Lochte clocked the second fastest time ever in the 200 metres individual medley at the US Nationals on Friday, taking over from Michael Phelps as the American medley maestro.

With Phelps choosing not to swim the medley this season, Lochte moved quickly to put his stamp on the event, winning both the 200 and 400 IMs to clinch spots at the Rome world championships later this month.

After claiming his fifth world record in the 100m butterfly on Thursday, Phelps nearly saw one of his marks snatched away.

Lochte, a double gold medallist in Beijing, charged out of his team-mate's shadow, clocking one minute 54.56 seconds, just .33 shy of Phelps' record 1:54.23. He then signalled the mark could be his, sooner rather than later.

"I feel I can go at least a second faster, I'm just going to try and put it all together in Rome," Lochte told reporters. "I kind of wish he (Phelps) was doing the race because I love racing him, he's a great guy and I love racing the best."

With Phelps dropping out of the 100m free due to a sore neck and Lochte withdrawing to concentrate on the 200m IM, Nathan Adrian seized his chance, completing the sprint double.

Winner of the 50m free on Thursday, Adrian used a late kick to get home first in the 100m free in 48.00 seconds, just ahead of David Walters on 48.17. The women's 200m backstroke came down to a battle of teenagers, with 16-year-old Elizabeth Beisel beating 15-year-old Elizabeth Pelton to the wall with a winning time of 2:08.80. Beisel, a battle-hardened veteran of four Nationals, held off Pelton, competing in her first major competition.

Beisel has qualified for Rome in two events having also won the 400 IM, while Pelton should also make the US team with three runner-up finishes.

"She's like a little sister for me, she's very mature but this is her first major international competition and I cannot mentor her - but keep her under my wing and she'll do well," said Beisel.

In the evening's only other final, Kathleen Hersey touched first in the 200m butterfly final in 2:06.44.