Phelps not bothered by losses

Charlotte: Michael Phelps was given another reminder of how far he has to go to get back to his best form when he was beaten in one of his favourite events on Saturday.

Competing at the Charlotte Grand Prix, one of the final lead-up events before next month's United States Olympic trials, Phelps came second to China's Wu Peng in the 200 metres butterfly.

His time of one minute 56.87 seconds was more than five seconds outside the world record he set at the 2009 world championships in Rome.

The defeat came just a day after he finished second in the 200 metres freestyle, raising doubts about his fitness and form leading into this year's London Olympics, which the American has said will be his final event before he retires from swimming.

Bigger things

But Phelps, who has won 14 Olympic gold medals, including eight from Beijing four years ago, said he was unconcerned about his results because he was focussing on bigger things.

"I know this is not the Olympic trials, this is not the Olympic Games. It's a stepping stone," he told reporters. "I feel like these are little quizzes. They are like little building blocks."

The US Olympic trials will be held in Omaha, Nebraska, starting in the last week of June.

Olympic 50 metres and 100 metres freestyle champion Britta Steffen meanwhile admitted she was relieved to book her place at the Games with victory in the 100 metres final at the German trials on Saturday.

"It feels good that I have got the time I needed and confirmed the qualification," said the world-record holder, having swum 53.68sec in the final.

The 28-year-old is the fourth fastest in the world this year having also clocked 53.65sec in the 4x100 metres relay on Thursday and proved she is back to her best after struggling at last year's World Championships.

"It's like breaking a barrier which I have now twice gone under and that gives you some reassurance," she added. "With that performance, you could get into the [Olympic] final, but to get a medal you need to manage to do a bit more."

Tough race

World 200m and 400m freestyle record-holder Paul Biedermann, Steffen's boyfriend, won Saturday's 400 metres final, to add to his victory in Friday's 200 metres final, and said he was happy with his time of 3min 47.98 sec.

"It was a very tough race, that was the first real competition this year," he said.

"I hope that I can now improve from competition to competition. I've still got three months until the Olympics."

Others booked their London places with German records as Jan-Philip Glania, in the men's 200 metres backstroke, who swam 1min 55.87sec, and Jenny Mensing, in the women's final, impressed over the same distance in a time of 2min 08.30sec.

"I did not know what was the record, it was all about the Olympic standard," said the 23-year-old Glania.