South Africa’s most decorated Olympian, Chad le Clos, has arrived at the athletes’ village at the Paris Olympics 2024. Image: Tim Goode/PA Wire/BackpagePixSouth Africa’s most decorated Olympian, Chad le Clos, has arrived at the athletes’ village at the Paris Olympics 2024. Image: Tim Goode/PA Wire/BackpagePixWe’ve worked our way through the men’s 100m freestyle semi-finals, the men’s 200m breaststroke semi-finals, but now is the big one.
He wins the gold medal in a time of 1:52.96. It is an African record and still ranks as the fastest time Le Clos has ever swum in the event. An eternity later Le Clos enters. He is mobbed by media and he takes his time to speak to them. Articulate, handsome and gifted, he’s a marketing dream. The king is dead, long live the king.
Ah, Phelps. That GOAT slayed by the precocious kid from South Africa in 12 years ago. A win that sparked a frenzy that Le Clos wasn’t prepared for.Having beaten Phelps, Le Clos was in huge demand, as was his father who himself has become an overnight celebrity. Before returning to a heroes welcome in South Africa Le Clos stopped off at Chelsea FC and raced some of the youngsters at their pool in Cobham.
Given that Le Clos had won five medals at the 2010 Youth Olympics, followed by five at that year’s Commonwealth Games, and then upstaged Phelps in London , some might argue that he has under-achieved and should be in Paris with more than four medals from his Olympic career.“I’ve always wanted to go down as the best. Have I under-achieved? No. I’ve over-achieved. Let’s play this back. From 2012 I over-achieved. I beat Phelps. I had the world at my feet.
In Paris he has been taking the opportunity to soak up his fourth Games. If there’s any pressure on him to perform, that’s coming from himself. No one else is expecting him to be on the podium, and even the final might be considered a long shot. Le Clos has been there, done that, collected all the T-shirts and pins and deserves to be given a lap of honour. He’s also a leader within the team and an elder statesman that deserves every accolade. He doesn’t have to prove himself to anyone.