Johanensburg - Always looking to challenge himself Chad le Clos has his sights set on returning from next month’s Fina World Short-Course Championships in Canada with a handful of gold medals.
Two years ago, the double world record holder won four titles to become the first swimmer to win the 50m, 100m, and 200m butterfly titles.
He made his first major steps in the 200m freestyle and is looking to add the 100m freestyle to his repertoire in December.
“Twenty-fourteen was probably my best year winning four world titles and I am probably going to swim the same four and possibly add the 100m freestyle,” Le Clos said.
“I really want to swim the 100m free, it is important to win the butterflies, the world records are obviously important but world titles are more valuable to me.”
Le Clos was speaking to The Star from a shavathon event in aide of Movember.
The Olympic gold medallist’s father Bert le Clos, who was first diagnosed with prostate cancer two-and-a-half years ago was on Tuesday named a Movember ambassador.
Bert and Chad le Clos preparing for Movember at The Barber by Gerald Wells, Hillcrest Corner Centre.
Le Clos finished second overall in the Fina World Cup series men’s classification this year after he won the title in 2011, 2013 and 2014, and also runner-up in 2015.
Russia’s Vladimir Morozov won this year’s edition which concluded over the weekend in Hong Kong.
Le Clos’ performance in Hong Kong in the 200m butterfly has given him a much-needed confidence ahead of the World Championships.
The 24-year-old suffered an ego-crushing defeat at the Rio Olympic Games in the defence of his 200m butterfly crown.
He finished in fourth place at the Games where American icon Michael Phelps reclaimed the title he relinquished to Le Clos.
Although Le Clos dominated the 100m butterfly, the 200m event was a proper tit-for-tat battle between the South African and Japan’s Daiya Seto.
Over the weekend Le Clos got one over Seto touching in 1:49.95 which was almost three seconds ahead of his rival.
“I learned quite a bit, I feel like especially that last 200m fly, I feel I learned a lot about myself in terms of the racing,” he said.
“Before 2012 I was racing as an underdog and ever since I won it in 2012 I kind of had this pressure I put on myself to win every single 200m fly whether it was nationals, World Championships, Mare Nostrum or World Cups.
“I had this pressure on myself, and over the last few months Daiya and I were going back and forth, and I realised this is what I wanted to do five years ago.”
The Star