SOUTH African Olympic swimming sensation Chad le Clos returned yesterday from the second cluster of the Fina Swimming World Cup 2013 series, which was held in Moscow, Dubai and then Doha.
After five of eight stops, Le Clos has now bagged no fewer than 11 medals (six gold) and he has opened up a substantial lead at the top of the men’s standings.
On Thursday in Dubai, he came within three-hundredths of a second of breaking his own 200 m butterfly world record, and he proved his versatility by winning the 400 m individual medley just three days later in Doha.
“It’s a good time for South African sport and swimming,” Le Clos told The Witness shortly after arriving at King Shaka International airport in Durban yesterday.
“We’re challenging the likes of America and considering how many swimmers we have compared to them, that really is something.”
Le Clos paid tribute to his coach Graham Hill and father Bert, who were both with him on the trip.
It doesn’t stop for Le Clos as he leaves for Asia on November 1, where the next three legs of the series take place in Singapore, Tokyo and Beijing.
“I haven’t slept for 27 hours,” he said in all seriousness. “I’ll have the morning off and then be back in the pool tomorrow [this] afternoon.”
Chad Le Clos (left) holds up some of his new accolades with his younger brother Jordan at King Shaka International yesterday after returning home from the second cluster of the Fina Swimming World Cup 2013 series in Moscow, Dubai and Doha.