Le Clos relishing Rio Games challenge
Even as an Olympic champion, Chad Le Clos enters every race and major event telling himself that he is an underdog.
|||Even as an Olympic champion, Chad Le Clos enters every race and major event telling himself that he is an underdog, out with a point to prove. That approach has served South Africa’s Phelps-slayer well in the past, and he plans to carry it forward to Rio, in a month.
Speaking from Italy he said that the mood in the camp was even more exciting now that they could almost see Rio on the horizon.
“We are all in a very good space,” he said. “It is a bit of a dream when it is still seven months away, but now it just feels that much more real.”
Le Clos broke through at the Olympics four years ago, pipping Michael Phelps to the wall and changing his life forever, but he admits that London was a bit of a blur, as he was shy and hugely nervous about his first Olympic experience.
“It is a huge honour to come back to a second Olympics, because that is not something that you can take for granted. They call it a once in a lifetime experience, and even this second one feels different, he explained.
“The last time I was in London, things happened very quickly. This time around, once we have competed, it will be nice to take the time to go around the athletes’ village, and say hi to the friends you make along the way.”
For Le Clos and the rest of the swimming team, though, Rio will be strictly business first. They know that they have a terrific chance to bring back South Africa’s best haul of medals from the pool, and are banking on their mix of youth and experience to deliver.
“Obviously guys like Cam (Van der Burgh) and myself have been there, but it is amazing to see the energy of the new guys in the squad. To see that anticipation is great, because we have been there too, and we just want them to embrace it and enjoy it.
“We have said it all along, but if we stay injury free, I think we can do something very special. There is also the excitement around our relay team, and we have been working very hard on getting ourselves a shot at the 4x100m medley relay. If we can get to the final, I think there is a very good chance for a medal for us. It all boils down to what you do on the day,” he noted.
“Even though I am a defending Olympic champion, I go into every race with the mindset of an underdog. I never see myself as a favourite, because that can lead to complacency. Being hungry for every race is what has got me here, and I don’t plan to change that mentality,” he pointed out.
The build-up to the Rio Games have been dominated by stars from other sporting codes pulling out because of the Zika virus fear, but Le Clos says it is something that hasn’t even come up in conversation.
“We trust our management team, and they wouldn’t take us somewhere that we would be at huge risk. I might have to walk around in my skins and extra socks, but it is the Olympics. These things don’t come around very often, and we just want to go out there and make our families and country proud.”
Le Clos added that his inspiration comes from different people and places, and he would look to draw on those before his events. “The world lost a great Olympian recently in Muhammad Ali, and he is definitely one of my biggest heroes. To know that he started here as well, on the Olympic stage, is hugely motivating, and is what makes this time so special.”
Of course, it is a happy coincidence that Le Clos’ favourite stroke, the butterfly, resonated strongly with Ali, immortalised in poetry.
“Absolutely! Float like a butterfly,” Le Clos beamed.
In Rio, Team South Africa and millions back home will hope that Le Clos and the rest of the swimming team also have a sting in their tales, as they look to write another chapter in the history books.
From Europe, the South African Swimming Team will move onto Fort Lauderdale, where they will wrap up their preparations, before heading for Brazil.
The Olympic Games start on 5 August.
*Chad Le Clos was speaking exclusively to Independent Newspapers in his capacity as a Discovery Vitality ambassador.**