THE FOURTH IS WITH LE CLOS

CHAD LE Clos passed one of his biggest tests in recent years as he won an unprecedented fourth consecutive 100m butterfly title at the World Short-Course Championships in Hangzhou, China.

The London 2012 Olympic champion labelled it the “biggest race of my short-course career”, beating American Caeleb Dressel in what was expected to be an epic tussle.

But Le Clos took the sting out of the contest from the start as he sprinted to an early lead with Dressel following in his wake.

Le Clos held off a strong final 25-metre challenge from Dressel to touch first in a time of 48.50 seconds.

Dressel hit the wall in second place with a time of 48.71 with China’s Li Zhuhao finishing third with a new Asian record of 49.25.

“I was up against the best field by far and this was the main event of the whole week and I am very grateful I got the gold as it was a tough race,” Le Clos said after the event.

“I was anxious because I was waiting the whole day for this, the whole week and the past three months because I knew this one could come.

“I really wanted to race Dressel; he is the best short-course yards swimmer and I am the best metres swimmer.”

Le Clos relinquished his 200m butterfly title on the opening night of the championships despite clocking a faster time than his previous world record.

Daiya Seto of Japan usurped him of his crown posting a new global mark of 1min 48.24sec with Le Clos following 0.08sec behind him in a new African record.

“After the first night, people thought I was winded and I have always told them that is the biggest mistake they can make because after I have lost I come back much stronger,” Le Clos said.

“Tonight was important. I needed the win tonight.”

South Africa are lying in second on the medals table thanks to

Le Clos’ two medals and fellow swimming stalwart Cameron van der Burgh’s 100m breaststroke victory on Wednesday.

Van der Burgh announced he would retire from competitive swimming after the championships.

The world record holder will still compete in his preferred 50m breaststroke event and could win his first double gold at the global showpiece.

Erin Gallagher featured in the women’s 100m freestyle final yesterday when she finished in eighth place with a time of 53.14sec with Dutch swimmer Ranomi Kromowidjojo winning the title in 51.14.

South African sprinter and

Rio Olympics finalist Brad Tandy marched through to the 50m freestyle final after finishing third in his semi-final in a time of 21.07.