Liu Zige sets new butterfly record

China's star swimmer Liu Zige has continued her impressive performance at the World Cup Short Course Berlin leg. The Beijing Olympic champion shattered her own world record set four days ago in Stockholm in the women's 200m butterfly.

Liu was in lane three, and got off to a promising start.

Liu Zige of China swims in the women's 200m butterfly heats at the  swimming World Cup in Berlin November 15, 2009.REUTERS/Wolfgang  Rattay (GERMANY - Tags: SPORT SWIMMING)

The Chinese swimmer gradually stretched her slim margin after the 50 meter mark.

At 125 meters, Liu was slightly ahead of the world record thanks to effective turns at each end.

From then on, Liu relied on pure stamina to accelerate in the final sprint. She eventually clocked a new world record time of 2 minutes 0.78 seconds, 1.72 seconds better than her previous mark.

Liu Zige from China celebrates after winning the women's 200  meters Butterfly final at the FINA short course swimming World Cup  in Berlin, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009. Liu Zige of China has broken  her 200-meter butterfly short-course world record.(AP Photo/Gero  Breloer)

Phelps still in dismal form, more WR's tumble

Racing in an old-style swimsuit and with little practice, Beijing Olympic 8-time gold medalist Michael Phelps continued his dismal form in Berlin. The American sensation had to settle for second place in the 200-meter individual medley final behind Darian Townsend of South Africa, who set the new record of 1 minute 51.55 seconds.

In the men's 200m freestyle, Phelps astonished all by failing to qualify as his German rival Paul Biedermann shattered his own world record of 1 minute 39.37 seconds.

Michael Phelps of the U.S. is seen from underwater during the  men's 200m individual medley finals at the swimming World Cup in  Berlin November 15, 2009.REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay(GERMANY SPORT  SWIMMING)

In the men's 100m breaststroke, South African veteran Cameron Van Der Burgh triumphed and also set new world record in a time of 55.61 seconds.

Michael Phelps from the USA reacts after the men's 200 meters  Individual Medley final at the FINA short course swimming World Cup  in Berlin, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009.(AP Photo/Gero Breloer)

Russian Evgeny Korotyshkin shaved more than half a second off his world record in the men's 100 butterfly to clock 48.48 seconds.

In women's events, Japan's Sakai Shiho shattered the world record in the women's 100 backstroke with a time of 55.23 seconds, while China's Gao Chang won silver.

Australian Olympic champion Leisel Jones showed her comeback was fully on track with a world record in the women's 200 breaststroke, her second in as many days.

Holland's Hinkelein Schreuder broke the world record in the women's 100 individual medley in a time of 57.74 seconds.

American Jessica Hardy improved on her own world record in the women's 50 breaststroke with a time of 28.80