Chad le Clos talks about his relationships with the water, his family, coach and fans.
OVERVIEW
Chad Le Clos seared himself on to the consciousness of sports fans across the world when he beat his idol Michael Phelps in his final 200m butterfly race at the 2012 Olympics.
Le Clos inflicted the first defeat on Phelps over the distance at Olympic or world level since Sydney 2000 when he out-touched the American by 0.05 seconds.
Last year the Graham Hill-trained swimmer won two gold medals at the World Championships in Barcelona, determined to forge his own identity rather than be known as the man who beat Phelps.
On the horizon are the Commonwealth Games with the World Championships in Kazan in 2015 before all eyes turn to Rio de Janeiro the following year.
Here Chad talks about the relationships that are so important in his life: with the water, his coach, his family and his fans.
He charts his journey from a precociously talented if shy child through the devastation of his mother’s battle with breast cancer to the steely, determined Olympic and world champion who is resolute as a role model.
WATER
Chad was introduced to the water by his father Bert as a very young child in Durban.
The youngster took to it immediately and so a water baby was…
