South Africa’s top swimmer Chad le Clos will attempt 5 individual races at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Russia, according to his coach Graham Hill.
Le Clos is scheduled to race in the 50, 100, and 200 meter butterflies, along with the 200 IM and 200 freestyle, which runs from August 2nd through the 9th.
That five-event schedule will be a bigger individual run than Le Clos has ever raced at a season-championship long course meet, and a significant addition to his schedule from what we saw at the 2013 Barcelona World Championships, the most recent in long course:
- 2010 Commonwealth Games – 100/200 fly, 200/400 IM
- 2011 World Championships – 100/200 fly
- 2012 Olympic Games – 100/200 fly, 200/400 IM
- 2013 World Championships – 50/100/200 fly
- 2014 Commonwealth Games – 50/100/200 fly, 200 IM
South Africa has not publicly announced their final relay selections, meaning that Le Clos could see up to 8 events.
That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll complete all of the rounds, however. Last year’s Commonwealth Games is the only of the above five meets in which Le Clos saw all of his events through to the finals, either by choice or qualification. At the 2012 Olympic Games, for example, he withdrew after qualifying 7th for the 200 IM final; at the 2013 World Championships, he didn’t manage to even escape prelims in the 50 fly.
With his sights set on a rematch with Michael Phelps in 2016 (no Phelps in Kazan), Le Clos will have to narrow his view on the 2015 contenders if he hopes to defend his titles in the 100 and 200 fly events. Le Clos ranks 2nd in the world this year in the 200 fly, but only 10th in the 100.
He ended the 2014 calendar year ranked 2nd in the world in both races.
2014-2015 LCM Men 100 Fly
PHELPS
50.45
| 2 | Chad LE CLOS | RSA | 50.56 | 08/08 |
| 3 | Laszlo CSEH | HUN | 50.87 | 08/08 |
| 4 | Joseph SCHOOLING | SIN | 50.96 | 08/08 |
| 5 | Tom SHIELDS | USA | 51.03 | 08/07 |
| 6 | Mehdy METELLA | FRA | 51.24 | 08/08 |
| 7 | Konrad CZERNIAK | POL | 51.28 | 08/08 |
| 8 | Zhuhao LI | CHN | 51.33*WJR | 08/07 |
| 9 | Jack CONGER | USA | 51.33 | 08/08 |
| 10 | Yauhen TSURKIN | BLR | 51.44 | 04/15 |
2014-2015 LCM Men 200 Fly
PHELPS
1.52.94
| 2 | Laszlo CSEH | HUN | 1.53.48 | 08/05 |
| 3 | Chad LE CLOS | RSA | 1.53.68 | 08/05 |
| 4 | Jan SWITKOWSKI | POL | 1.54.10 | 08/05 |
| 5 | Masato SAKAI | JPN | 1.54.24 | 08/05 |
Go Chad – RSA’s champ.
Anyone wonder why Male swimmers’ speed endurance on the longer swims don’t come anywhere near the Womans’ ? eg. W. World Record 50 metres = 23.73 50 metre splits on 1500 metres = 30.9453 thus 1.3040595% of the WR 50 Metres.
If Men swimmers were able to sustain those split ratios the 1500 metres freestyle (20.91 x 1.3040595 = 27.267 per 50m) would equate to 13 min. 38.04 World Record (nearly a full minute less than the current WR of 14m 31.02.) Crazy hey? The split ratios comparison on the lesser distances would see a Men’s 400 metres record at 3m. 30.04, (Current 3m. 40.07) the 800 metres at 7m. 12.65 (Current 7m. 32.12)
He’s been 1:47.1 before his sizable drop in the 200butterfly. Don’t count him out. I’m as large of a proponent for LeClos- ie, I dont think his talent comes close to Phelps’ and I dont think his butterfly looks graceful by any stretch of the imagination, but his short course times suggest that he could take his 200free under 1:46. While he isn’t in the conversation for medal yet, the field is extremely tight in the mid-low 1:45s, so he has a shot in later years.
completely agree here . He has chances to figure very well on the 200 free . It will be a great race this summer .
he became very good at the 200 free ! so that’s a very good choice .
50fly: 23:10
100fly: 50.60
200fly: 1:52.50
200IM:1.56.9
200fr: 1:45.80
he might hit your predictions’ times only when he keeps his head still, no glancing left & right during the race to find where his rivals are…chad le clos totally ruined the beauty of butterfly. hope he can fix his technique before racing other top flyers this summer at worlds. also he better watch out for kanrad czerniak & tom shields, these guys could pull of an upset any time & steal the g away from him.
I like Tom Shields’ chances. He is the reigning 100m and 200m champion of the USA. I think he will go:
100 fly: 51.05
200fly: 1:53.90
Hopefully at least one of those will be a podium finish for him.
I think year for Kazan is 2015 NOT 2014?
50 Fly: 23.24
100 Fly: 50.98
200 Fly: 1:53.68
200 IM: 1:57.43
200 Free: 1:46.08 or 1:45.73
Predictions
50m Fly: Don’t Care
100m Fly: 50.8
200m Fly: 1:53.25
200m IM: 1:57.5
200m Fr: 1:46.5
Predictions:
200 IM: 1:57.8 in the final.
200 FREE: Qualifies for finals, finishes top 5 with a 1:45.8.