CHAD TO LEAD SA’S CHARGE
Le Clos wants to end the year with a bang at World Champs after Rio disappointment
IF OLYMPIC gold medallist Chad le Clos gets his way, he would once again be the biggest contributor to South Africa’s medal tally at this week’s Fina World Short-Course Championships in Windsor, Canada.
The double world-record holder won four of South Africa’s five medals at the previous edition in Doha two years ago when he became the first swimmer to win the 50m, 100m, and 200m butterfly titles.
He added the 200m freestyle title for good measure while Cameron van Burgh completed the harvest with his silver medal in the 50m breaststroke.
Speaking from New York where he stopped over before travelling to Canada, Le Clos said he was still considering including the 100m freestyle to his repertoire.
“I am entered for five events but I am not sure I am going to swim the 100m free because I think the semi comes just before the 50m fly finals,” Le Clos told The Star. “I will only decide when I am close to the tournament but I am definitely going to do the four I did two years ago, and obviously try to retain them.
“It is going to be hard because there are obviously tough guys this year as it is always and I don’t want to take anybody for granted.”
Le Clos will face Japanese nemesis Daiya Seto in his favoured 200m butterfly as they look to settle their running battle of 2016.
“Daiya beat me three times at the World Cups and I beat him three times so it will be the decider for the year I guess,” he said.
“I’ve enjoyed the last few years racing Daiya, I am pretty sure he can get close to the world record and I hopefully I can get close as well.”
While Le Clos was looking to retain his three butterfly events he will also be looking to banish the memories of the Rio Olympic Games where he suffered an ego-crushing defeat in the defence of his 200m butterfly crown.
Le Clos still managed to win silver in the 100m butterfly and 200m freestyle but it did not fulfil his own lofty standards.
“We’ll see if we can dip below that mark and you obviously have to think of racing the race before thinking of world records,” Le Clos said.
“The 200m fly is important to me but so are the 200m free and the other butterfly events. We’ve been working hard this year on other stuff and unfortunately the Olympics didn’t go according to plan so hopefully the world shortcourse would be good.”
Van der Burgh could once again add to the tally while training partner Giulio Zorzi has also been included in the 18-member team.
Zorzi and Van der Burgh shared a podium in the 50m breaststroke at the 2013 Fina World LongCourse Championships in Barcelona winning bronze and gold respectively.
Meanwhile, four female swimmers have been included in the team with Kaylene Corbett, Gabi Grobler, Tayla Lovemore, and Mariella Venter representing the country in Canada.