CHAD le Clos, hampered by illness recently, has down-scaled his ambitious Commonwealth Games medal chase.
Le Clos has entered nine events, including three relays, for the Glasgow spectacle from July 23 to August 3, but yesterday he admitted he was not sure what to expect in the heat of battle.
"I don't think it'll be nine events," the Olympic 200m butterfly and double world fly champion said, explaining his preparations had been hit after contracting a chest infection in Europe last month.
"I still want to win two golds," stated Le Clos, who is likely to exceed the five medals he won at Delhi in 2010.
While he is expected to again be the country's most prolific medallist, the honour of Team SA's flag-bearer at the opening ceremony next Wednesday was given to rugby Sevens captain Cecil Afrika.
Le Clos's gruelling schedule begins the following day.
"I want to win the 100m and 200m butterfly, but after that I honestly don't know what I'm going to be doing," said the swimmer, the defending champion in the 400m individual medley and the 200m fly.
Cameron van der Burgh is looking to retain his 50m and 100m breaststroke titles, and veteran Roland Schoeman is the favourite in the 50m butterfly, an event he won in 2002 and 2006.
In all, Team SA is targeting to equal their fifth-place finish on the medals table achieved in 2010, 2006 and 1998.
The SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) yesterday announced a three-year R20-million deal with SA Airways, but agreement came too late for many of Team SA who fly out on other airlines today.
The contract was inked only last Friday.
Sascoc president Gideon Sam praised SAA for coming to the party. "The biggest nightmare for a sports administrator is not knowing where the next rand is coming from to get athletes to the best competitions in the world.
"One of the biggest embarrassments is to arrive at the Games on a foreign carrier." he said.
Sam added that the deal should be seen as part of the national sports plan, which requires a R10-billion injection of cash and kind from government.
Cheers as Team SA leaves for the Games
CHAD le Clos, hampered by illness recently, has down-scaled his ambitious Commonwealth Games medal chase.
Le Clos has entered nine events, including three relays, for the Glasgow spectacle from July 23 to August 3, but yesterday he admitted he was not sure what to expect in the heat of battle.
"I don't think it'll be nine events," the Olympic 200m butterfly and double world fly champion said, explaining his preparations had been hit after contracting a chest infection in Europe last month.
"I still want to win two golds," stated Le Clos, who is likely to exceed the five medals he won at Delhi in 2010.
While he is expected to again be the country's most prolific medallist, the honour of Team SA's flag-bearer at the opening ceremony next Wednesday was given to rugby Sevens captain Cecil Afrika.
Le Clos's gruelling schedule begins the following day.
"I want to win the 100m and 200m butterfly, but after that I honestly don't know what I'm going to be doing," said the swimmer, the defending champion in the 400m individual medley and the 200m fly.
Cameron van der Burgh is looking to retain his 50m and 100m breaststroke titles, and veteran Roland Schoeman is the favourite in the 50m butterfly, an event he won in 2002 and 2006.
In all, Team SA is targeting to equal their fifth-place finish on the medals table achieved in 2010, 2006 and 1998.
The SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) yesterday announced a three-year R20-million deal with SA Airways, but agreement came too late for many of Team SA who fly out on other airlines today.
The contract was inked only last Friday.
Sascoc president Gideon Sam praised SAA for coming to the party. "The biggest nightmare for a sports administrator is not knowing where the next rand is coming from to get athletes to the best competitions in the world.
"One of the biggest embarrassments is to arrive at the Games on a foreign carrier." he said.
Sam added that the deal should be seen as part of the national sports plan, which requires a R10-billion injection of cash and kind from government.
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