LONDON: American Rebecca Soni broke the women's 200m breaststroke record for the second time in two days Thursday as she won Olympic gold for the second straight Games.

Using her trademark late kick, Soni won gold in 2min 19.59sec, improving the record of 2:20.00 she posted in the semi-finals Wednesday.

She became the first Beijing swimming gold medallist to successfully defend a title in London.

Japan's Satomi Suzuki took silver and Russian Yuliyia Efimova earned bronze.

Tyler Clary upset his American team mate Ryan Lochte to win the men's 200 meters backstroke gold medal at the London Olympics on Thursday.

Lochte led at all the turns but faded on the last lap as Clary drew level with him then got his hands on the wall first in a tight finish to win his first Olympic gold medal a time of one minute, 53.41 seconds.

Japan's Ryosuke Irie, runner-up to Lochte at last year's world championships, also made a late charge to grab the silver while Lochte won the bronze.

Lochte won the same event in Beijing four years ago and was attempting an extraordinary double Thursday, trying to win the 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley within half an hour.