The 2015 KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Championships took place at Kings Park Center over the weekend, with main man Chad Le Clos making an appearance across several events. The LCM competition took place from December 16th through December 20th with some surprising times logged.
For Olympic champion Le Clos, he could have swum any number of events, having shown his power across disciplines ranging from the 200m backstroke to the 200m IM to the 200m freestyle.  This meet, however, the 23-year-old stuck to the 200m butterfly and 200m freestyle events, but added the rather unexpected 100m freestyle, an event in which he doesn’t swim regularly.
Representing the Seagulls Swim Club, Le Clos threw down an impressive 1:55.32 in-season 200m butterfly to take the win by almost 5 seconds. The time, while well-off his 2015 best of 1:53.68, which earned him the silver at the 2015 FINA World Championships, was swifter than his 1:55.80 that he clocked at the Doha World Cup and places him #1 in the world rankings so far this 2015-16 LCM season.
2015-2016 LCM Men 200 FLY
CSEH
1.52.91
| 2 | Michael PHELPS | USA | 1.53.36 | 08/09 |
| 3 | Masato SAKAI | JPN | 1.53.40 | 08/09 |
| 4 | Tamas KENDERESEI | HUN | 1.53.62 | 08/09 |
| 5 | Chad LE CLOS | RSA | 1.54.06 | 08/09 |
Le Clos also nailed a speedy effort in the 200m freestyle, logging a time of 1:47.86 to hold off Seagulls’ teammate Calvyn Justus who would wind up with the silver in a time of 1:49.69. Le Clos split 53.22/54.64 for his gold medal-winning swim and his 1:47.86 was just over a second behind his 1:46.53 outing which rendered the South African 6th place in Kazan.
The 100m freestyle is where Le Clos really turned some heads, however, as he raced his way to a winning time of 48.83. Not only did that time claim the gold ahead of Seagull teammates Clayton Jimmie (49.29) and Justus (50.06), it marked the only sub-49 outing of the entire field. The time serves as Le Clos’ 2nd-fastest this season, sitting behind the 48.38 he clocked to earned silver in the event behind Frenchman Jeremy Stravius at the World Cup Dubai. Again, for this being an in-season meet, Le Clos is clearly happy with his results:
Good weekend of racing, 155, 48, 147 best in season times #Rio2016 #Christmas pic.twitter.com/krOsanHcDM
— Chad Le Clos (@chadleclos) December 21, 2015
Also taking wins over the weekend were Ayrton Sweeney with gold medals in the 200m IM (2:03.39), 400 IM 4:23.78, 100m breaststroke (1:03.38) and 200m breaststroke (2:14.08), as well as Myles Brown who logged the win in the men’s 400m freestyle (3:49.96). In addition to his silver in the 200m freestyle, Justus also won the 100m backstroke in a mark of 55.57. Clayton Jimmie did some damage on the sprint butterfly races, claiming wins in the 50m butterfly (24.36) and 100m butterfly (54.20).
Last year I thought that he may be at risk, but this years performances have settled the nerves. It would’ve stunning if he missed the team in any of his three best events. Rio is a different story, as the younger hungrier stars of tomorrow take him on. I’m happy to go with the youth.
Tom, you are very funny. 😆
With Le Clos ascending and Phelps descending, it will be interesting to see if Le Clos can take the butterfly events in Rio. And I’m not convinced Phelps will be in both events, especially the 100. With sooooo many guys going :51 last year, the 100 Fly is going to be fast.
Talking about the 100 free….
Unsurprisingly (at least since last weekend 🙂 ), Manaudou wants to double 50 free and 100 free in Rio.
It’s official.
He still has to qualify of course.
http://www.lequipe.fr/Natation/Actualites/Florent-manaudou-va-bien-tenter-le-double-50-100-m-aux-jo/618675
Do I detect a subtle manoeuvre to find a new Backstroker for the 4×100 Medley relay? Justus must be done, and seen to be done.
It looks like Chad is in slightly better knick than MP going into the turn or the year. If he is doing in-season “PB’s”, we can expect the same when he is shaved and tapered. That means a 47+ in the 100free……..make some room on the podium guys!
lol when will people learn not to write off Michael Phelps..
“make some room on the podium guys!”
In a word: No.
LeClos is quick but he’s not Olympic podium quick.
The men’s 100 free this year is going to really tight. I’m going to say that the spread 1st through 6th is going to be less than .5 seconds. I’m saying 47.3ish to win and I’ll bet anything above 47.6 misses the podium.
I’ll say it’ll take a 48.7 get to the semis and a 48.2 to get into the final. Zeato, McEvoy, Santo Condorelli, Grabich, Adrian, maybe Dressler, Manadou and Morozov… Maybe Magnusen, if he’s back on form.
Le Clos
Zetao
Dressel
Manaudou
Magnussen
Why so many people have so many problems with names on swimswam? 😆
“Never trust a man who can only think of one way to spell a word.”
Ulysses S. Grant
http://techyaya.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/pt-barnum-5.jpg
“The 100m freestyle is where Le Clos really turned some heads, however, as he raced his way to a winning time of 48.83.”
AFAIK, he swam 48″16 in World Cup meet just after Kazan. He also swam a 22″2 in a late season meet over 50m (LC) Fr . He is potentially a dark horse in the 100m free if he swims it in Rio.
Chad went a 1:53.68 at World Champs, not a 1:53.60