SA legends to lead charge

Chad le Clos (below) and Cameron van der Burgh will be eager to carry the South African squad by adding to their fine career medal hauls at the Fina World ShortCourse Championships starting in Hangzhou today.

Le Clos and Van der Burgh were set to lead a nine-member SA team at the biennial showpiece, held in a 25-metre pool.

While the duo are hoping for their countrymen to add to the nation’s medal haul, after securing South Africa’s only medals at the short-course spectacle over the last decade, they were again expected to lead the charge.

Le Clos aims to make history by winning the men’s 100m butterfly title for the fourth straight edition of the global championships, and with his credentials, few would bet against him.

The former Olympic champion picked up a total of 11 medals (nine golds) at the last four editions of the short-course showpiece, and he won the 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly treble at the last two editions of the spectacle.

Breaststroke specialist Van der Burgh, meanwhile, was also hoping to return to the podium.

The former world short-course 100m champion won the 50m breaststroke title for the first time in Windsor two years ago, and the six-time medallist was aiming to stun his younger opponents once more.

Le Clos and Van der Burgh were set to be backed by Olympic sprint finalist Brad Tandy and fellow Commonwealth Games medallist Ryan Coetzee, along with Doug Erasmus and Ayrton Sweeney. While the country’s latest swimming sensation, double Commonwealth champion Tatjana Schoenmaker, was giving the global showpiece a miss, the SA team included three women.

In Schoenmaker’s absence, the nation is due to be represented by Erin Gallagher and Emily Visagie, who both reached finals at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year, as well as 16-year-old prospect Rebecca Meder.