LONDON -- Michael Phelps evened the score with American rival Ryan Lochte at the London Olympics, winning their showdown Thursday night in the 200-meter individual medley.

The victory in 1 minute, 54.27 seconds was Phelps' first individual gold medal of these Olympics but his 16th gold medal and 20th Olympic medal overall. Earlier in the swim program, Phelps finished fourth in the 200 IM behind gold medalist Lochte.

Lochte got the silver this time, touching in 1:54.90 in a race held just 31 minutes after he won a bronze in the 200 backstroke.

Later Thrusday, Phelps returned to win his semifinal heat of the 100 butterfly, clocking 50.86 seconds in an event where he holds the world record.

In Friday's 100 fly final, Phelps will duel South Africa's Chad le Clos, who won the second semifinal in 51.42 and beat Phelps for gold in the 200 fly. Also advancing were American Tyler McGill (51.61) and former Cal star Milorad Cavic (51.66) of Serbia, who lost to Phelps by .01 seconds in the 100 fly final at Beijing four years ago.

Earlier, Americans Rebecca Soni and Clary had record-breaking, gold-medal performances on Thursday night.

Soni broke her own world record while winning a gold medal in the women's 200-meter breaststroke. She became the first woman to swim faster than 2 minutes, 20 seconds, touching in 2:19.59.

Clary surprised a 200 backstroke field that included Lochte, setting an Olympic record with a time of 1:53.41.

Ranomi Kromowidjoj of the Netherlands won the women's100 freestyle in an Olympic-record time of 53.00. American teenager Missy Franklin, who has won three medals, finished fifth in 53.64, and former Cal star Jessica Hardy placed eighth at 54.02.

Former Cal star Anthony Ervin, making a comeback at age 31, sprinted into Friday's 50-meter freestyle final.

Ervin, who left the sport after sharing a gold medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, was the third-fastest qualifier with a time of 21.62.

American Cullen Jones and Brazilian world record-holder Cesar Cielo tied for the fastest semifinal time at 21.54.

Americans Franklin and Elizabeth Beisel were the top two qualifiers for Friday's final in the women's 200 back.

Franklin won her heat in 2:06.84 and Beisel tooks her in 2:06.18.