By MALIN RISING

Associated Press Writer

updated 4:06 p.m. ET Nov. 11, 2009

STOCKHOLM - Michael Phelps finished second in the 200-meter medley final at the short-course World Cup on Wednesday, struggling in the old-style swimsuit that will become standard next year.

Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, clocked 1 minute 53.93 seconds. He was more than two seconds behind South Africa's Darian Townsend, who won in 1:51.79.

"I'm swimming OK," Phelps said, adding his time "wasn't bad."

"I haven't practiced regularly."

Earlier, Phelps failed to qualify for the 100 butterfly final after finishing 11th in qualifying heats in 51.06 seconds. Kaio Almeida of Brazil was fastest in 50.34.

It was the third final that Phelps missed at the meet. He failed to qualify Tuesday for the finals of the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke, in which he was disqualified for swimming too long under water.

Phelps is competing for the first time since the world championships in August. His coach, Bob Bowman, has said he wants Phelps to use the old-style suit in the lead-up to the U.S. championships next year.

A total of nine world records were set in the World Cup, three by Jing Zhao of China.

Jessica Hardy and Peter Marshall of the United States broke their own previous records. Hardy clocked 28.96 seconds in qualifying for the women's 50 breaststroke, while Marshall won the 50 backstroke final with a new mark.

Jing improved the women's 100-meter individual medley record set last month by Sweden's Therese Alshammar, a day after Jing twice broke the 50 backstroke mark.

Alshammar responded with another record, beating her own mark in the 50 butterfly.

China's Liu Zige set a record in the women's 200 butterfly.

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