South African swimmer Chad le Clos made history on Friday by becoming the most decorated male athlete in Commonwealth Games history after helping his team win bronze in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay. The medal was the 19th Commonwealth Games medal of his career, taking him ahead of Australian shooter Phil Adams and England’s Mick Gault.“I shouldn’t be crying at bronze, I should be crying at gold, but honestly this means the world,” the 34-year-old Le Clos said on the Games website. With this latest achievement, his Commonwealth medal tally now stands at seven golds, four silvers and eight bronzes.
A career full of milestones
Le Clos could still add to his record as he is also set to compete in the 50m and 100m butterfly events. He first appeared at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 in New Delhi, where, at just 18 years old, he won five medals. The current edition marks his fifth appearance at the Games.Beyond the Commonwealth stage, Le Clos has enjoyed a remarkable international career. He has won four Olympic medals, including one gold, and claimed 16 world championship titles, mainly in the butterfly events. The veteran swimmer has also set his sights on competing at a fifth Olympic Games when Los Angeles hosts the event in 2028.
