BEIJING (AP) - Michael Phelps made it 6-for-6 at the Beijing Olympics, winning another gold medal Friday and closing in on Mark Spitz with another world record.

Phelps dominated right from the start of the 200-meter individual medley and won in 1 minute, 54.23 seconds. He knocked off his own mark of 1:54.80 set at last month’s U.S. trials, his sixth world record of the games.

Ryan Lochte tried to pull off a daunting double, going against Phelps just 29 minutes after swimming the final of the 200 backstroke.

Lochte 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.

Phelps is already the most successful athlete in Olympic history with 12 career golds, but his sights are on eight in the Beijing games. He is just one gold away from tying Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

He hung on the lane rope in a familiar pose, admiring his time while his rivals gasped for breath. He extended his right hand to Lochte in the next lane, and the two friends shook hands and patted each other on the head.

Phelps returned right after the medal ceremony for the 100 butterfly semifinals.

"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."

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 Saturday’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 gold 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.

He is taking nothing for granted, especially in the fly.

"It’s definitely a tough race," he said. "With (Cavic) and Ian having a great semifinal, it’s going to be a good race tomorrow. I’m going to do everything I can to be a little bit closer in the first 50. ... and hopefully if I’m there at the 50, I’ll be there at the finish."

Lochte got quite a consolation prize: a world record and the first individual gold medal of his career in the backstroke. He 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 won despite a problem with his LZR Racer suit.

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

Peirsol won the 100 back in Beijing, but failed to match his backstroke double from Athens four years ago. He earned the silver in 1:54.33, while Russia’s Arkady Vyatchanin claimed the bronze.

"That’s the theme of the meet. You have to break a world record to win," Peirsol said. "I gave it my all and I had nothing left.