Chad le Clos continues breaking records

Chad le Clos got himself another record as he won a record fourth Swimming World Cup series title. Photo: @fina1908 via Twitter

Chad le Clos got himself another record as he won a record fourth Swimming World Cup series title. Photo: @fina1908 via Twitter

Published Nov 19, 2017

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Chad le Clos added to his growing legend winning a record fourth Swimming World Cup series title, wrapping up the Singapore leg with two gold medals and a silver over the weekend. 

The South African swimming sensation won the first two clusters of the eight-leg series with Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom winning the women’s title for the first time with each earning $150,000 in prize money.

Le Clos added the 2017 crown to his 2011, 2013, and 2014 victories of the annual short-course series.

“This year was the best World Cup, not just because I won but because it gave everyone a fair chance with the rule change to the number of races, and some of the things FINA laid on for fans,” Le Clos told the FINA website. 

“This year has been important to me, mentally, and with the hard training. I’m excited about the Commonwealth Games in April. I start work tomorrow.

Swedish legend @sarahsjo and South African @chadleclos are the overall winners of FINA Swimming World Cup 2017! Thank you for a year of such great action! 😍🍾👸🏼🤴🏻 #FINA #Airweave #SWC17 #WaterIsOurWorld pic.twitter.com/CIsJCajVg1

— FINA (@fina1908) November 19, 2017

“It’s been a great season because take it back a year and a lot of people doubted me after the Olympic Games.”

He was tied with fellow South African legend Cameron van der Burgh with three apiece while Ryk Neethling boasts two series victories. 

The London 2012 Olympic champion did not quite have his way in the pool with Russian Vladimir Morozov giving the South African a run for his money.

Morozov won the third cluster and had Le Clos’ number in the freestyle events on the final leg of the series.

Le Clos was peerless in his specialist butterfly events winning both the 100m and 200m distances in Singapore. 

On the first night of the gala, he raced to his 31st victory in the 200m butterfly winning a bitter battle with Japan’s Daiya Seto.

Seto moved past Le Clos at the 150m mark before the South African surged over the final lap to touch first in a time of 1:49.25.

The Japanese swimmer finished second in 1:50.19 with compatriot Masaki Kaneko bagging the bronze with 1:52.23.

Le Clos and Mozorov locked horns in the 100m freestyle with the Russian hitting the wall first with a time of 45.56 seconds.

The South African had to be content with the silver medal clocking 46.00 with Japan’s Shinri Shioura finishing third in 46.82.

There was no stopping Le Clos in the 100m butterfly where he tied up the series on a winning note posting a time of 49.49.

China’s Zhuhao Lu set a new world junior record finishing second behind Le Clos in a time of 49.53 with Yauhen Tsurkin claiming bronze in 50.22.

@ockertde 

IOL Sport

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