Chad Le Clos 2.0: “I’m Going To Be Competitive In Paris” (Interview)

2022 FINA WORLD CUP – TORONTO

• Friday, October 28 – Sunday, October 30, 2022
• Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (TPASC), Toronto, Canada
• SCM (25 meters)
• Start Times
  • Prelims: 9:30 am local (ET)
  • Finals: 6:00 pm local (ET)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results (Omega)
• Live Stream (FINA YouTube)
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap

Olympic champion Chad le Clos continued his campaign at the 2022 World Cup series in Toronto when he won the 100 butterfly with a 48.88. That makes le Clos 2-for-2 so far in the 100 butterfly thus far as he won the event at the Berlin stop one week prior with a 48.58.

After his race on Friday night, Chad le Clos chatted with us to discuss his season thus far and his plans down the road. Le Clos was very clear that he is dialed in on 2024, referring to the Paris Olympic Games, which are just over a year and a half away.

“I’m gonna be competitive in Paris,” said le Clos. “I want to compete, I want to be the best that I can be.” Le Clos has four Olympic medals to his name, having won 200 butterfly gold in 2012, 100 butterfly silver in both 2012 and 2016, and 200 freestyle silver in 2016. At his third Olympic Games, le Clos didn’t reach the podium, swimming to 5th in the 200 fly and 18th in the 100.

Le Clos explained his displeasure with the commentators at the Tokyo Olympics, saying “they spoke about Chad trying to be on TV, going out hard.” “I’ve had a hell of a two and a half years. Like people don’t really know what happened but it was a hell of a two and a half years.”

After racing in Berlin, le Clos discussed his struggles with mental health over the past few years and how they interfered with his swimming career.

By hitting two 48s, le Clos has gotten back to a level of racing that we haven’t seen from him in roughly two years. Before his Berlin swim, the last time le Clos hit a time under 49 seconds in the short course 100 fly was in November 2020 when he swam a 48.45. Other than that, le Clos’ 11 swims in the 48-second range came between 2012 and 2018.

In addition to the 48.58 100 butterfly that he swam in Berlin, le Clos hit a 1:49.62 to claim victory and trail his own PB of 1:48.32 from back in 2018. He also raced the 50 butterfly, hitting a 22.21 for second place to Dylan Carter‘s 22.13. Le Clos will finish out the World Cup series in Indianapolis from November 4 – 6 and will then begin working towards this year’s short course finale: the Short Course World Championships in Melbourne, Australia.