Durban - The congratulations are pouring in for Chad Le Clos, but for a Durban woman the men’s 200m butterfly last night led to a sleepless night.
Penzance Primary School’s tea lady, Ellen Khanyile, said she was so moved by Le Clos’s achievement that she could not sleep after watching him celebrate his gold medal.
Khanyile said the polite and humble young man was the same when he was a boy. “He must have been in Grade 1, and he used to come to the kitchen and help me. He also used to help me carry the washing to the line,” she said.
Khanyile, who had been in the school’s employ for 22 years, said Le Clos sought her out whenever he visited the school.
“When he won last night, I could not stop crying.
“I didn’t sleep at all after that.
“He’s more than a (pupil), he’s my grandchild, like all of the children here. I love them all,” she said. – Daily News