INLSA
More than 1 300 boys gathered at Westville Boys High School to celebrate the achievement of old boy Chad le Clos, who won a gold medal at Tuesdays 200m butterfly race. Picture: Puri Devjee
“Gold for Chad!”
This is the refrain that thundered through the Westville Boys’ High School on Wednesday as the 1 300 pupils celebrated old boy Chad le Clos’s gold-medal win at the London Olympics on Tuesday.
“This is such a huge accomplishment for Chad, and four years before we all expected it,” said school principal Trevor Hall.
Hall was hinting that everyone who had known Le Clos, including the swimmer himself, had only been hoping for a gold medal at the 2016 Games.
He was full of praise for the sportsman, saying that he was a wonderful role model for the boys at the school.
“Chad’s always been humble, modest, easy going and always gives credit to others for his success,” he said.
Carl Christensen of Signads adds the names of Leith Shankland, Charl Crous, Olympic swimming coach Graham Hill and Chad le Clos to the list of Olympic participants the school had produced. Picture: Puri Devjee
“He regards every obstacle as a challenge.
“That’s why he is the champion he is,” Hall said.
Marno Langeveldt, in Grade 12 and captain of the school swimming team, said Le Clos’s performance had given him goose bumps.
“It was just magnificent to watch,” said Langeveldt, who called Le Clos an inspiration to the swimming team.
The school’s reception area was resplendent, decked out in pictures of Le Clos’s win and subsequent celebration.
One of the 200m butterfly victor’s medals had also been given a place in the school’s trophy cabinet.
“If we’re lucky, he might give us his Olympic medal too!” joked Hall.
The school wasted no time in calling in Carl Christensen of Signads who added Leith Shankland’s, Charl Crous’s, Olympic swimming coach Graham Hill’s and Le Clos’s names to the list of Olympic participants the school had produced.
kamcilla.pillay@inl.co.za
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