• Five big names to look out for at Glasgow 2026

    • Published
      2 days ago
  • Is 2026 the Commonwealth Games’ last dance or a future-proofing revamp?

    • Published
      19 hours ago

“Birmingham was a guarantee for me, in some respects, with the way I was looking. But life happened and we got fourth [two] times, and unfortunately we didn’t make that final relay,” he mentioned.

“I still feel like there’s a lot of fight left in me and I still believe I have a part to play in world swimming.

“I’d love to get that title. That would be amazing.”

Le Clos won two golds among a five-medal haul when he made his Commonwealth debut in 2010 aged 18, but says he “never would have dreamed” that he would be preparing for a fifth appearance at the Games.

“It’s absolutely unbelievable,” he added.

“I was still in high school [for Delhi], finishing my final year. I was busy writing exams at the time, but it was a perfect stepping stone, and I seemed to be getting better and better each competition.”

Taking a break from the pool

A head and shoulders shot of Chad le Clos shows him smiling as he holds up a gold medal on a dark red Delhi 2010 ribbon with his right hand. He wears a predominantly white and green tracksuit jacket and a pair of swimming goggles are visible around his neckImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Le Clos was 18 when he won his first Commonwealth medal, topping the podium in the 200m butterfly in Delhi in 2010

Le Clos was eliminated in the heats of the 100m butterfly at the Paris 2024 Olympics and then suffered with “a bunch of injuries”.

He says he would not be competing in Glasgow if it was not for the advice of his father Bert to take a break from swimming last year.

“I was going to jump straight back into training in the April,” he explained.

“My dad was like: ‘You’re taking 12 weeks off. You’re not going to do anything. No gym, no swimming, no nothing. Just enjoy yourself’.

“I’ve never had that break in my life. It was a physical reset. It was just nice to get the body healed.

“I’m just grateful to still be swimming.”

One thing Le Clos has also had to adapt to is being the elder statesman in the pool.

“I look at the guys that I’m racing and they are all 19, 20, 21, 22. The oldest is 24.

“I’m 10 years the oldest guy, a senior, in my events.

“It’s crazy to think that in 2010, these guys were four years old, three years old. It’s unbelievable.”

Building an academy

Chad le Clos, visible from waist up, is seen looking to his left and holding his tongue up to his top lip while he wears a green South Africa tracksuit and swimming goggles around his neck. In the background behind him is a white wall bearing the logo of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. The main part of the logo is a green capital letter G which is surrounded by a series of rings extending out from the centre in blue, yellow and finally redImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Le Clos won seven medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, matching Australian Ian Thorpe’s record for the most at a single edition

With one Olympic gold – the 200m butterfly from London 2012 – three Olympic silvers and 16 world titles also to his name, Le Clos does not believe the Commonwealth Games will define his legacy.

“What I’ve done in the pool I think speaks for itself,” he mentioned.

“So even if I don’t get any medals next week, it is what it is. I’m just going there to do the best that I can.

“[I’m] definitely in the best shape that I could be.”

Part of the reason Le Clos holds that view is the fact he has opened a swimming academy back in South Africa.

There are 13 clubs and over 3,000 members enrolled in the programme, with hopes to expand to 50 clubs in the next two years.

“I’m swimming for a little bit more than just myself, my family and South Africa – I’m swimming for the next generation that I’m mentoring now,” he mentioned.

“We’ve got some unbelievable kids coming to the system. I believe in two, three years’ time we’ll have the biggest club by far in Africa and maybe in the world.”

  • Keep up to date with the Commonwealth Games
  • All you need to know about Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

    • Published
      6 July

‘No reason’ to retire

Le Clos says the academy has given him a new perspective and put him in a “different space” in his career.

As a result, he has no immediate plans to retire and has set himself the target of going to a fifth Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

“I think this academy has saved my life. That’s a bit of a strong way to say it,” he mentioned.

“I really don’t need to be here anymore. I really want to be here. I’m hungrier than ever to be here.

“I am doing it for myself, just to prove to myself that I can still do it.”

The thrill of competition still burns bright in Le Clos.

“I love being under those lights.

“It’s something I can’t explain. It’s a drug that’s bit me from an early age, and I’m still not able to shake it.

“As long as I’m still in the mix fighting for medals in the final, there’s no reason for me to retire.”

Related topics

  • Africa Sport
  • Swimming
  • Commonwealth Games

✔ today silver rate

✔ 2026 winter olympics

✔ chat gtp

✔ silver rate today

✔ silver rate today live

✔ 2030 winter olympics

Read More

Sports

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *