Two-time world champion and Rio Olympic bronze medalist Daiya Seto claimed a medal at a third straight world swimming championships on Wednesday, taking bronze in the men's 200-meter butterfly.

The 23-year-old Japanese finished 0.88 second behind South Africa's Chad le Clos, who won gold in 1 minute, 53.33 seconds, and 0.39 second behind silver-medalist Laszlo Cseh of Hungary at the Danube Arena.

Seto won gold in the 400 individual medley in 2013 and 2015.

Wednesday's bronze was Japan's second medal in the July 14-30 championships at the Hungarian capital. Yui Ohashi won the other medal with her silver medal performance in the women's 200-meter individual medley on Monday.

"I relaxed a bit too much and swam at a slow pace. I wanted to get a better time in the first half," said Seto, who made the halfway turn in 54.58.

"It was good I was able to secure a medal, but this is just the minimum (goal) I achieved. I lost the battle against myself. I wasn't able to go all out," he said.

Japanese compatriot and Rio Olympic silver medalist Masato Sakai finished sixth in the same event, coming home in 1:55.04.

In the mixed 4x100 medley relay, a new mixed-gender event that was added to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics program, the United States won in a world record time of 3 minutes, 38.56 seconds.