BERLIN - Michael Phelps led all qualifiers in the 200m medley at a short-course World Cup meet after failing to qualify for the 200m freestyle yesterday.

BERLIN - Michael Phelps led all qualifiers in the 200m medley at a short-course World Cup meet after failing to qualify for the 200m freestyle yesterday.

Phelps, who won eight gold medals at last year's Beijing Olympics, used an old-style swimsuit in clocking 1min:55,92sec.

In the 200m freestyle, Phelps clocked 1:44,07 to record the 12th fastest time in the heats and spoilt an anticipated showdown with his German rival Paul Biedermann.

Biedermann led all qualifiers in 1:42,73. Biedermann beat Phelps in the same event at the world championships in August in Rome and took away his world record.

Phelps later skipped the 200m backstroke heats to focus on the medley.

The American has yet to win a race in two short-course World Cup meets this week. He was fifth in the 200m butterfly.

Phelps failed to make three finals at another World Cup meet in Stockholm earlier this week. He was second in the 200m medley in Sweden.

While most of his rivals continue to use the faster high-tech suits, Phelps has stuck with the old, knee-length outfit that will become the standard on January 1. - Sapa-AP