South African swimmer Chad le Clos
Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
South African swimmer Chad le Clos turned back time when he claimed gold in the 200-meter butterfly at the Short Course World Championships in Melbourne on Thursday.
Swimming into lane five, Le Clos touched the wall in a new personal best and African record time of 1:48.27.
The 30-year-old Olympian broke down in tears when he finally regained the title he last won in 2016.
Le Clos has had a tough few years, battling depression and a slump in form, but he showed he really is on the road to recovery after a change in coach.
“This is a great victory for me. I suffered a lot of defeats in the last two years. A lot of people doubted me, the swimming world doubted me, but the king is back,” said Le Clos, who finished fifth in the 50m butterfly final on Wednesday.
“I had a change of mind, I was fighting myself too much and desperately trying to swim… big thanks to my coach Dirk Lange for all the changes he has made in the last 10 weeks.
“Just like we said in Gladiator: We smelled that filth, we went out prepared for war.”
The Japanese Daiya Seto was second with 1:49.22 and the Swiss Noe Ponti rounded off the podium (1:49.42).
Le Clos will return to the pool on Saturday for the 100m butterfly.
We live in a world where fact and fiction blur.
In uncertain times, you need journalism you can trust. For 14 free days, you can have access to a world of in-depth analysis, investigative journalism, featured opinions, and a variety of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today. Thereafter, you will be billed R75 per month. You can cancel at any time and if you cancel within 14 days, you will not be billed.
