SA’s most decorated Olympian Chad le Clos has a bone to pick at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris: he is determined to show the world that he is back to his best after undergoing a tough time in his life.
Le Clos has had the highest and lowest moments of his career at the Olympics. Over the last decade or so he has been one of the best performers at the games from the African continent. His medal tally at the Olympics is four – one Gold and three Silvers.
The high for Le Clos came in 2012 during the London games when he upset the great Michael Phelps in the men’s 200m butterfly, beating him to the finish by 0.05 secs to win gold. That win sparked a rivalry between them and they would reignite it four years later in Rio. This time Phelps beat Le Clos, who got a silver, much to his dismay.
The rivalry between him and Phelps defines Le Clos’ Olympic career.
“The highs are too high, the lows are too low,” said Le Clos when speaking to Sowetan during the premiere of his documentary Born Racer, which will air on June 30 on SuperSport.
“You’re standing on the block as the undisputed Olympic champion, the best thing since sliced bread and five minutes later I’m a nobody, I came fourth in the Olympic Games, I just lost to Phelps, he’s the king again and this 24-year-old letdown is in the pool like how do I run this back and restart like a Fifa match.
“In swimming you’re not going to get that shot, I never got my redemption on Phelps, and to this day I don’t have that redemption, we finished on a draw in the final race, tied for silver it’s a great way to finish if off. I beat him in London, he beat me in Rio, the score is 1-all and we drew in the final match. It’s a great record to have against the greatest of all time but in my mind it should be 2-0, if we run that race back it’s 2-0, respectfully, I have always admired Phelps,” he said.
Like Phelps and many other great Olympic athletes, Le Clos has had his fair share of mental health struggles. In the documentary he reveals that he resorted to the bottle to cope with his disappointments. The swimmer provided perspective as to why Olympic athletes tended to struggle mentally, saying falling short of their goal did a number on them considering the four preparations.
“You train so hard for four years for a moment, then you have problems, things like a big breakup throw you off two weeks before, your uncle passes away, your gran dies or something happens to your parents. Then you go to the Olympics, you have been working for four years on this project and then it’s all over in minutes,” said the swimmer from Durban.
“It stems from those moments, you put that pressure on yourself, and expectation, then you realise it’s only sports, I come home my family still loves me, I still have the same friends nothing changed but the expectation of the people changes.
“I go home after Tokyo and then a person comes to me at a party and says: ‘Hey champ we’ve had a good run’, trying to be funny, I looked at him and I could feel my blood boiling, I look at him in the eye but I remain composed. Whether he meant it or not is not the point, that sticks with you. It’s like someone saying you must retire from your job,” he said.
Even though he has been an Olympic, World and Commonwealth champion, Le Clos feels he underachieved in his career. The Paris games present a chance for him to reach the pinnacle once again.
“I know I could have achieved more. From a sense of decision-making, I should have left certain people early on in my life but I stayed on too long with certain people, relationships that were rotten, I stayed on, which affected me tremendously.
“I’m swimming for legacy, I’m swimming to be the best of all time SA has ever had. I’m going to be back, regardless of what happens this year or next, I’ll be back, I'll be there in LA. I’m going to go to five Olympics. I’ll have the most medals ever from any South African or African, and I’m going to get another one next year – hopefully gold to cement myself as the best ever,” he said.
Chad le Clos aims to reach zenith of his swimming career
‘He’s determined to show the world that he’s back to his best’
Image: Anton Geyser
SA’s most decorated Olympian Chad le Clos has a bone to pick at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris: he is determined to show the world that he is back to his best after undergoing a tough time in his life.
Le Clos has had the highest and lowest moments of his career at the Olympics. Over the last decade or so he has been one of the best performers at the games from the African continent. His medal tally at the Olympics is four – one Gold and three Silvers.
The high for Le Clos came in 2012 during the London games when he upset the great Michael Phelps in the men’s 200m butterfly, beating him to the finish by 0.05 secs to win gold. That win sparked a rivalry between them and they would reignite it four years later in Rio. This time Phelps beat Le Clos, who got a silver, much to his dismay.
The rivalry between him and Phelps defines Le Clos’ Olympic career.
“The highs are too high, the lows are too low,” said Le Clos when speaking to Sowetan during the premiere of his documentary Born Racer, which will air on June 30 on SuperSport.
“You’re standing on the block as the undisputed Olympic champion, the best thing since sliced bread and five minutes later I’m a nobody, I came fourth in the Olympic Games, I just lost to Phelps, he’s the king again and this 24-year-old letdown is in the pool like how do I run this back and restart like a Fifa match.
“In swimming you’re not going to get that shot, I never got my redemption on Phelps, and to this day I don’t have that redemption, we finished on a draw in the final race, tied for silver it’s a great way to finish if off. I beat him in London, he beat me in Rio, the score is 1-all and we drew in the final match. It’s a great record to have against the greatest of all time but in my mind it should be 2-0, if we run that race back it’s 2-0, respectfully, I have always admired Phelps,” he said.
Like Phelps and many other great Olympic athletes, Le Clos has had his fair share of mental health struggles. In the documentary he reveals that he resorted to the bottle to cope with his disappointments. The swimmer provided perspective as to why Olympic athletes tended to struggle mentally, saying falling short of their goal did a number on them considering the four preparations.
“You train so hard for four years for a moment, then you have problems, things like a big breakup throw you off two weeks before, your uncle passes away, your gran dies or something happens to your parents. Then you go to the Olympics, you have been working for four years on this project and then it’s all over in minutes,” said the swimmer from Durban.
“It stems from those moments, you put that pressure on yourself, and expectation, then you realise it’s only sports, I come home my family still loves me, I still have the same friends nothing changed but the expectation of the people changes.
“I go home after Tokyo and then a person comes to me at a party and says: ‘Hey champ we’ve had a good run’, trying to be funny, I looked at him and I could feel my blood boiling, I look at him in the eye but I remain composed. Whether he meant it or not is not the point, that sticks with you. It’s like someone saying you must retire from your job,” he said.
Even though he has been an Olympic, World and Commonwealth champion, Le Clos feels he underachieved in his career. The Paris games present a chance for him to reach the pinnacle once again.
“I know I could have achieved more. From a sense of decision-making, I should have left certain people early on in my life but I stayed on too long with certain people, relationships that were rotten, I stayed on, which affected me tremendously.
“I’m swimming for legacy, I’m swimming to be the best of all time SA has ever had. I’m going to be back, regardless of what happens this year or next, I’ll be back, I'll be there in LA. I’m going to go to five Olympics. I’ll have the most medals ever from any South African or African, and I’m going to get another one next year – hopefully gold to cement myself as the best ever,” he said.
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