Le Clos: “Phelps’ World Records Have Been On My Mind Since London”

Just three days after firing verbal shots at American Olympic icon Michael Phelps, South Africa’s Chad Le Clos seems to have backed off his “he can keep quiet now”-esque demeanor.

To refresh, South African Chad Le Clos had some choice words after winning the 100m butterfly gold medal at the 2015 World Championships in Kazan this past week.  When asked about Phelps’ post-race, Le Clos offered up, “Michael Phelps has been talking about how slow the butterfly events have been recently. I just did a time he hasn’t done in four years. So he can keep quiet now.” Le Clos won the gold in Kazan in 50.56, which at the time, marked the second-fastest textile swim ever.

However, Phelps responded that same night not with words, but with actions, as the 18-time Olympic gold medalist threw down the world’s fastest 100m butterfly time at U.S. Nationals, registering a 50.45 to knock the breath right out of Le Clos’ comments.

Now in an interview with Rio2016.com, Le Clos expresses his respect for Phelps, saying, “Obviously Michael Phelps is the greatest of all time and he would not come back for fun,”, referring to Phelps’ return from retirement post-2012 London Olympics. With Phelps’ commanding performance at U.S. Nationals, Le Clos clearly recognizes that “He’ll be coming to win and he will be a huge threat to my goals.”

And what are those goals? Le Clos said, “the Rio Olympics are my main focus”, confirming that “I will be in the best shape of my life for Rio and gold is on my mind. The butterfly races are on my mind and Michael Phelps‘ butterfly world records [100m and 200m] have been on my mind since I won gold in London.”

“Obviously the 49.82 seconds [Phelps’ 100m butterfly world record] will be the toughest – Michael was the first one to go below 50 seconds,” said Le Clos. “But I am feeling good and will be in great shape. The main thing I need to work on is my front end, as the second half of my race is much stronger.” With Phelps’ blistering 50.45 from San Antonio, Le Clos certainly cannot sit comfortably with his gold from Kazan.  Le Clos also points to Japan’s Daiya Seto and Americans Tom Shields and Ryan Lochte as potential threats to a Rio victory.

Putting his role as his nation’s ambassador at the Olympics in perspective, Le Clos expressed how “The Olympics are huge in South Africa. Swimming is always popular because we usually do well in it, so everyone will be watching. I will have the hopes of the nation on my shoulders come 5 August [Olympic Games opening ceremony] next year – it’ s a lot of pressure and it’ s a little bit nerve-racking, but I am very excited and I have always wanted this, so I am grateful.

“I have worked really hard and I am sure it will pay off next year. We train in a four-year-cycle that is focused on peaking for the Olympic Games. I will do my best and hopefully that will be enough to be the best swimmer in the world in all my events. I will swim to win.”

As it stands today, according to Rio2016.com, Le Clos plans on swimming the 100m and 200m butterfly events, as well as the 100m and 200m freestyle races at the 2016 Olympic Games.

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JennyB
7 years ago

I think Chad Le Clos is hanging on Michael Phelps shirt tails, make your own history Chad ! Michael’s current Olympic GOLD medal count is at 18 stop talking and go swimming !

john26
8 years ago

More from Joe Schooling:

http://www.foxsportsasia.com/other-sports/news/detail/item69820/
Nothing too juicy, but the 100fly is certainly turning into the showdown of the meet.

In theory, swimming the 200fly could be very strategically important for Phelps come the Olympics.

I had a feeling that LeClos chose to concentrate more on his 100fly this year thinking that this was the event he needed to impress. No one knew Phelps was going to be a factor in the 200fly this/next year, and the 100fly is the obvious priority event for him going into 2016. In so doing, LeClos clearly underestimated his competition in the 200fly (in the form for Cseh).

It could very well have been… Read more »

drew
Reply to  john26
8 years ago

I hope schooling drops the 200 fly for rio and focuses on the 100 fly and 100 free..

on top of going sub 51 in the 100 fly, he went 48.5 in the 100 free couple weeks ago at the SEA games “winging it”

john26
Reply to  drew
8 years ago

Yes, there have been a lot of “nonchalant” 48’s recently- including LeClos, and Schooling’s as well as new blood like Grabich, Santorelli, Chalmers that I’m shocked Kazan’s 100free wasn’t at least a third of a second faster.

floppy
8 years ago

EPIC TRASH-TALK FAILS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS

“On good days, no one can beat me. On bad days, no one can beat me.”
~ Alex Popov, leading up to 2000 Olympics (Hall-Ervin tied for gold, vdHoogenband in the 100)

“We will smash them like guitars”
~ Gary Hall Jr, 2000 (Thorpe out-anchored Hall to break USA’s undefeated relay streak)

“If we got to do this again, I would win.”
~ Milorad Cavic, 2008 (One year before they got to do it again)

“If [MP] wants a Jaked and they don’t want to give it to him free, then I will buy it for him… Free will is a gift with a price tag, and his choices later on… Read more »

Lennart van Haaften
Reply to  floppy
8 years ago

To be fair, Hall outsplit Thorpe (though just by 0.06) in 2000 in the 4×100 free final.

Gina Rhinestone
8 years ago

Chad is very good looking .

floppy
Reply to  Gina Rhinestone
8 years ago

He is very good at looking to his right.

CSF
8 years ago

Good luck, Chad!

Years of Plain Suck
8 years ago

Chad’s comments are great for swimming. This is “Clay-Liston” or “Ali-Frazier” kind of stuff! Gets everyone interested.

swimdoc
Reply to  Years of Plain Suck
8 years ago

The only problem is that legit trash-talking in boxing has devolved into the Floyd Mayweather-Rhonda Rousey battle of tweets. I’m worried swimmers will model even more the narcissistic crap that’s beyond simple promotion of an event.

It’s better to have interest in the sport for the right reasons — sublime athletes competing.

And I hope she kicks his ass.

Teamwiess
8 years ago

Look, I am a big Michael Phelps fan and am extremely happy with how he swam at nationals. I was disappointed in how Chad expressed himself because I had thought a lot of him as well.

All of that being said, it is clear that Le Clos is a big threat to Michael. He is an incredible swimmer. So I wouldn’t flip the situation and say negative things about him as some seem to be. Michael will have to continue to improve to achieve what he wants to in Rio as I am sure Le Clos will continue to improve. Same with Cseh who seems to be getting lost in this conversation.

Lane Four
Reply to  Teamwiess
8 years ago

Wise words. Well said.

swimdoc
Reply to  Teamwiess
8 years ago

Cseh is not as lost in the conversation as Lochte, who hasn’t even been mentioned for the 200 IM. At least Lochte has a current LCM WR with more than one Olympic gold— feats, I believe, that no active male swimmer, other than Phelps and Sun Yang, have.

Talk about being overlooked. And good for Lochte for not trying to draw attention to himself with this “what about me?” nonsense. Saying what else you will about him (and there’s plenty to say), but he’s a competitor, he shows up for relays even with a million individual events and even at off-Olympic year meets, and he’s humble about his swimming.

Lane Four
Reply to  swimdoc
8 years ago

Yes, absolutely. Spot on.

Joel Lin
8 years ago

The narcissism is getting pretty old now. The greatest athletes in sports don’t suffer any anxiety or insecurity about being recognized. Michael Jordan didn’t want to be compared to anyone, he didn’t measure himself by anyone else and there were times when just winning and not destroying the competition was just not enough for him.

ChestRockwell
Reply to  Joel Lin
8 years ago

Are you kidding? Michael Jordan is one of the all time narcissistic a$$holes of all time!

swimdoc
Reply to  ChestRockwell
8 years ago

Have to agree with that. And he can’t let it go. Just the other day he said he could take Lebron in his prime and beat his Bobcat players one on one. The former might be true, the latter is delusional.

About Retta Race

Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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