Chad le Clos on Commonwealth Games History: 'I Knew I Wasn't Done'
- Chad le Clos became the most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete in history with 21 medals at the 2026 Games
- The South African swimmer revealed he had been targeting the record since 2017 and knew the 2026 Games were his final shot
- Le Clos lost his Cape Town home in a fire which claimed the life of his neighbour while he was away
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South African swimming champion Chad le Clos says he is not ready to step away from competitive swimming, despite having just cemented his place in Commonwealth Games history.
Speaking to 947's Anele and the Club on 13 August 2026, Le Clos reflected on becoming the most decorated athlete in Commonwealth Games history, having claimed his 21st medal at the 2026 edition of the Games. The milestone placed him ahead of the previous record of 19 medals, a target he said had been on his radar since 2017.
Le Clos on breaking the record
"I knew I wasn't done. I had a lot of injuries as I got older, and the last two Olympics haven't gone my way… But I was highly motivated by my defeats," he told the show.
He described the long-term planning behind the record attempt, revealing that he had calculated exactly how many medals he needed well before competing.
"Even though I have achieved more than I ever thought I would, that record of 19 medals has been on my mind since 2017. So, before we even walked into the Gold Coast, I knew we needed six medals to break the record… Got the five in 2018. So, I knew this week was going to be my last shot at Commonwealth redemption… Shoutout to my teammates for that… super grateful to them."
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Le Clos, who famously beat Michael Phelps to claim Olympic gold in 2012, is now 34 years old and has his sights set on the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He said he is still searching for ways to improve his performance.
"I don't swim millions of miles every day anymore… But I think the cool part about what I'm doing is I'm still trying to evolve even at 34 and trying to find ways to get faster."
Family inspiration and building a legacy
Away from the pool, Le Clos spoke about the role his mother has played in his life, calling her his greatest source of inspiration after she overcame stage-three cancer on two occasions. While he holds his father in the highest regard, he said his mother's strength is something he deeply admires.
During the Commonwealth Games, Le Clos also received the devastating news that his Cape Town home had been destroyed in a fire. Despite dealing with the loss himself, he chose to focus on others affected by the blaze. Through the Chad le Clos Foundation, he started a fundraising drive to assist displaced residents and also offered his condolences to the family of the man who died in the fire.
Roland Schoeman gets engaged
Briefly News previously reported that South African swimming icon Roland Schoeman has shared major personal news on social media.
The former champion revealed a special moment overseas after taking his relationship to the next level. Fans and fellow sporting figures quickly flooded social media with messages of support for the retired star
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Source: Briefly News
