Michael Phelps will leave the World Cup short course swimming championships in Stockholm without a win in five events after finishing second in the 200 metres medley final,
The American finished in one minute 53.93 seconds, behind South Africa's Darian Townsend who finished in 1:51.79.
Phelps says he wanted to be faster than he was in qualifying, and was, but he needs conditioning to get back to his best.
Unlike most other swimmers he didn't compete in the high-tech bodysuit which will be banned from January 1.
The Stockholm meeting is the first short course event since 2006 for Phelps, who won eight Olympic golds last year and five titles at this year's world championships in Rome.
