It’s one of the head-to-head matchups that everyone else on planet swim will be talking about ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and now, at least half of the participants in that grudge match has begun the conversation as well.
South African swimmer Chad le Clos has referenced his chief butterfly rival Michael Phelps twice via his social media accounts in the last two days.
First, on Thursday, Le Clos Retweeted a Tweet that was sent to him by sports journalist David Isaacson. Isaacson’s Tweet referenced an earlier Tweet by an inspirational sports quotes account (@Sports_Greats) that posted a famous Phelps quote: “Nobody is going to put a limit on what I’m doing – Michael Phelps”.
Isaacson retorted with his own commentary that began with “Except for @chadleclos”, which Le Clos then Retweeted to his 173,000 followers.
Except for @chadleclos … and @Rolandschoeman @lyndon_ferns @dariantownsend & @RykNeethling 😃 https://t.co/55iuDmBLjb
— David Isaacson (@David_Isaacson) May 31, 2015
Then, on Tuesday, Le Clos posted a picture to his Instagram account from the sign-in page for the Aspire Dome in Qatar, where he’s beginning a 7-week journey that will include many competitions in Europe on his way to the World Championships.
When Le Clos arrived at the pool, the empty pool had a sign-in page with a sample name of “Michael Phelps” typed at the top to demonstrate how to correctly fill the page in (ironically, Phelps has never swum a meet at that pool).
Le Clos captioned the photo:
“As I went to training this afternoon, I found #destiny, hope your ready for me #Rio2016#rematch#CleC“
With an obvious reference to the two swimmers’ battles at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Le Clos used the hashtag “rematch.” At the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, Le Clos beat Phelps in the 200 fly – an event where Phelps was almost untouchable for a decade – but the American won the 100 fly for the third-straight Olympic Games.
While the age difference means that this rivalry won’t ever be quite what Phelps-Cavic had in the last decade, it’s clear that Le Clos has his eye on Phelps none-the-less.
Phelps hasn’t committed to an Olympic schedule yet, but it is highly probable that he will try for a spot on Team USA in the 100 fly, though the 200 is dicier. Even still, these battles are much more than a two-swimmer race. Poland’s Konrad Czerniak has swum very well in the 100 fly over the past two years, and the Japanese 200 flyers Daiya Seto and Masato Sakai are on-fire with times of 1:55.0-or-better from each already this season.
Because of Phelps’ withdrawal from the World Championship team, and Le Clos rarely making trips to the United States, under normal circumstance, there would be very little chance that the two would see each other in long course before Rio. With hints that Phelps might make a World Cup appearance in Chartres (though a lot has changed since those comments were made), we could see that matchup in the World Cup series, which is normally in short course but this year has been switched to long course for Olympic preparations.
Still, in that 100 fly, 2014’s final rankings showed Phelps #1 (51.17) and Le Clos #2 (51.29) in the world (with American Tom Shields tied for the subordinate position). While it’s not a two-man race, that will be just enough juice to keep this fire flaming toward Rio.
Adam Peaty will be the other super star on the men’s side, winning the 50 and 100m breast, and getting a medal in the 200m breast. He will probably win his events by the biggest margin.
Grant Hacket will be the star of the masters swimming scene. Still crushing it at 35!
The summer is finally here. Might as well throw out some predictions:
King Chad will win the 100 and 200 fly at Kazan, in world leading times…..again.
US swimming has denied us and their greatest athlete the chance to compete for his old crown, which is deeply unfair. However his times at nationals will,be close behind King Chad’s
Emperor Hagino will beat Lochte pretty easily in the 200IM and will just beat Seto in the 400IM. I would love to see him medal in the 200 and 400 free. If so he is probably looking at minor medals. Still a great haul for him.
Again, to the basics. Why would you call him “king”?. Obviously he is a very talented athlete, but its unfair to call him “king”, he hasn’t won any title besides the butterfly. He is good, but he doesn’t win by huge margins to call him like that. Please stop that, don’t make it greater when he is just pretty good.
Queeny someone at 30 can be physically as sharp as someone at 20?
It’s “you’re” not “your” , Chad
30 is not old for an elite athlete! MP will have the mental edge because of all his experience and physically 30 can be just as sharp as 20. I have no doubt MP will be adding to his Olympic medal count.
I highly doubt that this is what would rile Michael Phelps into sudden dominance. Chad doesn’t project the competitive swagger or self-regard of a Cavic or Cseh (or Phelps, for that matter) and his language doesn’t strike me as all that provocative.
Is he baiting fans to get people excited? Sure. But I think he’d have to say something genuinely dismissive and heartfelt – not what strikes me as friendly ribbing – to provide that kind of motivation.
I’m actually a little touched he would bother. Maybe he is trying to cheer Phelps up. I mean, I am not counting the guy out, but he certainly isn’t a lock yet for any race. I don’t think the question should… Read more »
Put Phelps aside for a moment… I’m not convinced that LeClos is the best 100m/200m flier out there. He’s great in SC, but he hasn’t put up anything in 2013/2014/2015 that would make me think he’s a lock in 2015
2013 – 1:54.32
2014 – 1:54.56 (second to Seto 1:54.08)
2015 – 1:56.13 (not rested ?)
LeClos has never been under 51 in the 100m fly for LCM, so until that happens he’s essentially in a pack of about a 1/2 dozen other 51 low swimmers. 11 swimmers under 52 so far this year and LeClos isn’t on of them. The 200m fly has some depth from Japan and the US to contend with him and until he… Read more »
I wholeheartedly agree. I have no idea where this moniker of “King Le Clos” came from because he is the most overrated swimmer I’ve ever seen. Sure he beat Phelps in the 200 fly at London, an event Phelps dominated for a decade, but it all came down to a poor judgment call in the finish. Cavic made the same mistake in Beijing. The 100 fly in London was literally the Michael Phelps show, and he won it half a second slower than he was in the semi’s after a gruelling 200 IM. He could have potentially gone a 50 low.
Le Clos may be a dominating SCM swimmer in recent years, but if Phelps were to have tapered for… Read more »
Really now we never saw alarming times from chad leClos before the Olympics. Thats because he was putting on the hard training for the Olympics & we all know what happened in the Olympics , had personal bests on all the races he raced. So its the same thing even this year his goal is Kazan & Rio thats where you will see the best of him. He is also gunning for the world records. And you can’t talk about 2014 his focus was never the LCM.
He did focus on LCM in 2014, specifically the Commonwealth Games. Unfortunately he had a chest infection during the Mare Nostrum, and didn’t recover in time for CWG, putting in modest performances. All the hard work done in 2014 showed up later in the year during the World cup SCM meets. He needs to go a lot faster in Kazan this year to re-establish his LCM form. It sounds like he is backing himself to do so. Lets see what he puts up.
Talking trash over Twitter? A half committed and fit Phelps was fastest last year. He is older now but some of the best sprinters in track hold bests to 30.
I like this. Every poke at MP is searing. He lived off what Ian Thorpe said before 2008. He will live off this going into 2016. Le Clos just lost Olympic gold.