BARCELONA (REUTERS) - American Ryan Lochte won a third consecutive world title in the men's 200 metres individual medley in Barcelona on Thursday.

He touched in a time of 1min 54.98sec, almost a second slower than the world record of 1:54.00 he set to win the gold in 2011.

Kosuke Hagino of Japan was second in 1:56.29 and Thiago Pereira of Brazil third in 1:56.30.

Lochte is the second man after compatriot Michael Phelps to win a treble of 200m IM world titles.

Phelps took gold in the event in 2003, 2005 and 2007 and beat Lochte into second place to win the Olympic title in London last year.