Kazan, August 6 American swimming great Ryan Lochte became only the second man to win titles in the same event in four consecutive world championships when he triumphed in the 200 metres individual medley today. The five-time Olympic champion emulated the feat of Australian Grant Hackett, who won four 1,500 metres titles in a row between 1998 and 2005. Victory for Lochte was secured in the final length as a powerful surge off the wall, using a new rotational technique he has introduced only over the last three months, saw him overtake long-time leader Thiago Pereira. Lochte, who first landed the 200m IM title in Rome in 2009 and has now won at least one gold at the last six editions of the championships stretching back to Montreal 10 years ago, won in one minute 55.81 seconds. The Brazilian Pereira claimed silver in 1:56.65 while Shun Wang, of China, took bronze. Following a poor US trials, Lochte has competed in fewer events at these championships than at any time in the last 11 years. Yet after finishing outside the medals in the 200m freestyle, his medley gold demonstrated why the 31-year-old is still a major force in the pool. China’s Ning Zetao surged to the men’s 100m freestyle title, denting pre-race favourite Cameron McEvoy’s bid to succeed compatriot James Magnussen, the two-time Australian champion who was forced to pull out of the championships with a shoulder injury. Ning led from the outset, touching in 47.84 seconds, with McEvoy taking silver, 0.11sec behind, and Federico Grabich securing bronze. China’s golden evening continued in the women’s 50m backstroke when Yuanhui Fu took gold in 27.11 seconds. Etiene Medeiros of Brazil touched second in 27.26 while Xiang Liu claimed bronze. Natsumi Hoshi, of Japan, won her first global title in the 200m butterfly, clocking 2 minutes 05.56 seconds, ahead of American Cammile Adam and China’s Zhang Yufei.