BARCELONA, July 25: Michael Phelps of the United States made swim history on Friday at the world championships when he claimed world records in two different individual disciplines and beat mighty Ian Thorpe for gold in the 200 metres medley.

Phelps first raised the 100m butterfly mark of 51.76 seconds Ukraine’s Andrei Serdinov had set just minutes earlier to 51.47 seconds in the semi-finals.

He then smashed his own mark of 1:57.52 from Thursday’s semis when he got the 200m medley gold in 1:56.04 minutes.

Phelps, 18, is the first swimmer to get world records in two disciplines on the same day at the world championships.

The teenager now has two gold medals (200m butterfly, 200m medley) and four world records from the Barcelona championships.

More gold and records loom on the weekend in the 100m butterfly final and he will compete in the 400m medley where he is also the world record holder.

Phelps said the butterfly record inspired him on the day.

“After the 100m world record I was very fired up. Coming into the second race I wanted to break the record again. So I just went out there, laid it on the line in the first 100 and then tried to hang on,” said Phelps.

Thorpe never stood a chance towards a fourth gold of the championships as he had to settle for a distant silver in his major event debut in the discipline, with 1:59.66 minutes. Olympic champion Massimiliano Rosolini of Italy took the bronze with 1:59.71 minutes.

There was more joy for the United States when Amanda Beard got the 200m breaststroke gold by equalling the world record and Aaron Piersol got his second championship gold with successive 200m backstroke title.

Beard clocked the same time 2:22.99 Hui Qi of China swam on April 13, 2001, in Hangzhou, China. Leisel Jones of Australia won silver in 2:24.33 while Ql had to settle for bronze in 2:25.88 minutes.

Piersol won the backstroke gold in 1:55.92 minutes. Gordan Kozulj of Croatia won the silver in 1:57.47 minutes and Simon Dufour of France grabbed the bronze with 1:57.90 minutes.

In other action, Grant Hackett of Australia got his second gold medal when he dominated the 800 metres freestyle in the absence of the title holder Thorpe.

Hackett added the gold to his title in the 4x200m freestyle relay in 7 minutes 43.82 seconds. He also has a 400m silver and is the allout favourite for a 1,500m title hat-trick on Sunday.

Larsen Jensen of the United States got the silver with 7:48.09 and Ukraine’s Ihor Chervinski fought to the bronze with 7:53.15 minutes.

In the women’s 100m freestyle, 19-year-old Hanna-Maria Seppala lived up to her billing as favourite when she captured the gold in a dramatic finish with 54.37 seconds, Finland’s first in women’s events at the world championships.

Jodie Henry took silver for Australia with 54.58 seconds. American veteran Jenny Thompson, who already has two golds at the championships, got the bronze with 54.65 seconds.

Finals results

Men’s 200 metres individual medley: 1. Michael Phelps (U.S.) one minute 56.04 seconds (world record) 2. Ian Thorpe (Australia) 1:59.66 3. Massimiliano Rosolino (Italy) 1:59.71 4. Jani Sievinen (Finland) 1:59.98 5. George R Bovell (Trinidad) 2:00.06 6. Takahiro Mori (Japan) 2:01.29 7. Kevin Clements (U.S.) 2:01.51 8. Brian Johns (Canada) 2:01.62