Alicia Coutts proved herself on the world stage after claiming two silver medals on the second night of the world swimming championships in Shanghai.

Coutts, who starred at last year's Commonwealth Games with five gold medals, could well have come away with two wins after going down by the barest of margins in the 100m butterfly and 200m individual medley finals.

It came as Australia claimed four medals on the second night of competition, with Matt Targett and Geoff Huegill taking second and third respectively in the 50m butterfly behind controversial Brazilian Cesar Cielo.

The Dolphins now have a gold, three silvers and a bronze, after the men's 4x100m freestyle relay team scored an historic win on the opening night.

Coutts, swimming at her first world championships, finished seven hundredths of a second behind American Dana Vollmer in the 100m butterfly final, before returning to the pool an hour later to go down by a tenth of a second to China's Ye Shiwen in the 200m individual medley.

The 23-year-old was upbeat and felt the performances put her in good stead for next year's London Olympics.

"I'm happy with both swims. They were both PBs so can't be upset with that and it's my first world championships and two silver medals within two days of being ..." said Coutts, who will also contest the 100m freestyle this week.

"It's nothing to be upset about. I know that I did my best and, leading into this, the focus was still London."

Stephanie Rice finished a disappointing fourth in the medley, despite qualifying fastest for the final.

Huegill continued his remarkable comeback to swimming with his first world championship medal since winning gold in the 50m fly in Fukuoka, Japan in 2001.

"I'm stoked with bronze," Huegill said.

Leisel Jones qualified second fastest for Tuesday night's 100m breaststroke final behind American rival Rebecca Soni while Emily Seebohm sealed her spot in the 100m backstroke final.

Kylie Palmer and Bronte Barratt return to the pool on Tuesday morning for the heats of the 200m freestyle.

Brenton Rickard also returns for the 50m breaststroke, after he finished fifth in Monday night's 100m final.

Liam FitzGibbon
AAP

Alicia Coutts will be one of the athletes writing a diary for the AOC about her journey to London. The diaries will be published on the London 2012 Team website launched tomorrow, 27 July 2011.