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Chad Le Clos: ‘I Showed I Am One of the Best In the World’ (Video)

2016 SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

After winning the butterfly triple for the second consecutive Short Course World Championships, South African Chad Le Clos reflected on his accomplishment and the year that he has had. When asked on how this compared to Doha 2014, Le Clos mentions that this was better for many reasons, mainly due to the fact he was coming off a down year, whereas 2014 he had just had a great year.

Le Clos finished the week with three golds in the butterfly events, along with a silver in the 200 freestyle.

As reported by Mitch Bowmile

MEN’S 50 FLY FINAL

  • 2014 World Champion – Chad Le Clos (RSA), 21.95
  • World Record – Steffen Deibler (GER), 21.80, 2009
  • Championship Record – Chad Le Clos (RSA), 21.95, 2014

GOLD: Chad le Clos – South Africa – 21.98

SILVER: Tom Shields – USA – 22.40

BRONZE: David Morgan – Australia – 22.47

Chad le Clos added another gold to his resume here in Windsor, taking the win by a huge margin in the men’s 50m butterfly in order to put up a time of 21.95. Le Clos won by almost half-a-second, edging way out in front on the second 25 as the remainder of the field fought to get their hands on the wall in a medal position.

After a slow start, Tom Shields looked like he wasn’t in the mix after the first 25, but a huge underwater off the wall moved up into medal contention. Shields ended up second in 22.40, passing David Morgan of Australia who grabbed the bronze in 22.47.

AB

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Q-tip
7 years ago

Really makes you appreciate the humility of phelps in interviews. He knows hes the best and you could tell he knew but he didnt have to come out and say it. The real greats dont need to tell people how great they are. Other people will say it for them. Nice swims from le clos though. Always enjoy him adding fuel to the fire

Bigly
Reply to  Q-tip
7 years ago

Disagree with “the real greats” comments. One of the true GOATS of all sports, Ali, constantly said “I’m the greatest of all time.” LeClos saying he’s ONE OF the best in the world — which is actually modest, he may be the best in the world right now — isn’t exactly adding fuel to the fire.

New beginnings
Reply to  Q-tip
7 years ago

He’s the Trump of swimming. So insecure. Bigly Thin skinned. Sad.

Eskimo
7 years ago

Joesph Schooling actually likes Chad because of this he comes out with this fire and this add fuel for worlds in 2017

nuotofan
7 years ago

Unfortunately for Chad, Olympics set the bar to evaluate a swimming career, not SCM Worlds

Rio was in his prime (24 years) and Rio wasn’t too bad (2 silver are more than something) for sure, but much worse than Le Clos’ expectations and his targets told in many interviews (not only two gold in the fly events, but perhaps two WRs, and so on).

There are two LCM World Champs, in 2017 and 2019, and above all Tokyo2020 to lift the bar of Le Clos’ career.nearer the heights of his great expectations.

Taa
7 years ago

I didn’t even watch the interview

SwimNerd
Reply to  Taa
7 years ago

You should. Context is important.

Bigly
Reply to  Taa
7 years ago

He won the 100 fly by a body length and faster than anyone ever, and the 50 fly by half a body length. Guess you didn’t need to. His swimming did the talking.

Years of Plain Suck
7 years ago

I like Chad’s interviews. He’s articulate with a bit of brashness and humility mixed in.

pvdh
7 years ago

*As long as Schooling and Phelps arent around

Penguin
Reply to  pvdh
7 years ago

When Schooling and Phelps aren’t around, hes the best in the world. When they ARE around, he’s ONE of the best in the world. I’m pretty sure top few of anything makes you ONE of the best. So Chad is correct. Stop.

Bigly
Reply to  Penguin
7 years ago

Agreed. Phelps isn’t around, so that’s irrelevant. LeClos is the best in the world right now, because event though Schooling might match or even beat him in a 50 and 100 fly, he doesn’t have the 200 LCM fly in him or a world class free event. LeClos isn’t a shabby IMer either: 4:12 in the 400 at London. Over all courses and all distances of fly 50-100-200 SCM and LCM, he’s the best at this time, and maybe of all time based strictly on times (since Phelps didn’t have a decent 50 fly in him). Others (Murphy) are dominant in one stroke or at two of three distances in a stroke (Peaty).

He does have an Olympic gold… Read more »

xenon
Reply to  pvdh
7 years ago

idk I’m no fan of chad le clos but don’t pretend like he hasn’t beaten phelps before. That 48.0 in the 100 fly the other day was savage. I don’t think even schooling could have beaten him if he was there.

Penguin
Reply to  pvdh
7 years ago

My point is, whether or not hes the best in the world is up to debate. But he is undoubtedly ONE of the best in the world.

Tom from Chicago
7 years ago

He’s got some demons in his head after Rio. We’ll see how he does in the next LCM season.

Bigly
Reply to  Tom from Chicago
7 years ago

His mother has relapsed breast cancer, and his dad has newly diagnosed prostrate cancer. Those cancers are his demons, not a subpar performance in Rio. Two silvers, one quite unexpected, isn’t exactly terrible.

Steff
7 years ago

He is kind of arrogant, but I honestly kind of like that in an athlete. Idk

Bigly
Reply to  Steff
7 years ago

Arrogant would be saying he’s the best swimmer in the world, not one of the best, which he clearly is. No brag, just fact.

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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