Phelps edged out in World Cup 200m final

South African Darian Townsend hogged the glory in the end, taking the title in 1:51.79 but Phelps came in second in 1:53.93 to leave Lithuanian Vytautas Janusaitis with bronze in 1:54.34.

Returning to competition for the first time since the world championships in Rome in July, eight-time Olympic champion Phelps is up against it here after choosing to revert to conventional kit in anticipation of the FINA ban on high-tech swimsuits which will take effect at the start of next year.

Most swimmers in Stockholm are still wearing the performance-enhancing gear, but a few, Phelps included, have gone back to basic trunks in anticipation of the switch.

So a podium of any kind was a bonus.

“I knew yesterday and today that this wasn't gonna be the best meet, but every now and then we need a wake up call,” said Phelps.

“With me not being consistent in training, this sure is a wake-up call. I don't wanna swim just OK, I want to swim better than OK.”

After missing out on the 100m butterfly final, Phelps came through the 200m medley heats stylishly but admitted that “there's still a lot of work to be done.

“The number one important thing is consistency. I don't have it. I don't have it right now. So I'm gonna work on it. It's fine. (Coach) Bob (Bowman) can do that for me.”

Backed by Swedish fans who acclaimed him as if he was one of their own, Phelps did push Townsend hard as he went from third after the butterfly section to second following the two backstroke lengths. After a hard-fought breaststroke section, the South African just clinched it with a push in the final freestyle length.

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