By Ashfak Mohamed 
Jul 28, 2021
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CAPE TOWN – CHAD le Clos says that “my mind and my soul deserved better” than the fifth-placed finish that he ended up with in the 200m butterfly final at the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday.
The four-time medallist – which makes him South Africa’s most decorated Olympian – was hoping to add a fifth piece of silverware when he went head-to-head with Hungarian superstar Kristof Milak.
But Le Clos loves a fight, and after scraping through to the semi-finals as the 16th and last qualifier, he showed his determination by winning his semi-final in 1:55.06 after racing into a big lead from the start.
Milak, though, is on another level to the rest of the field, and is also the world record-holder.
But Le Clos’ competition was more for the silver and bronze medals, and he made an excellent start to the final, trailing Milak by less than two-tenths of a second after 50 metres.
He eventually took the lead from the 21-year-old at the 150m mark, but Milak stormed back to take the gold in 1:51.25 – a new Olympic record.
You gave it your all champ @chadleclos 🤗
The focus is now on the 100m Butterfly. #TeamSA#Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/awbXPAQzi8
— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2020) July 28, 2021
Le Clos was unable to hang on, and faded to fifth in 1:54.93, which was his best time at the Tokyo Olympics, with Japan’s Tomoru Honda second in 1:53.73 and Italy’s Federico Burdisso third with 1:54.45. Another Hungarian, Tamas Kenderesi, finished fourth in 1:54.52.
“It was going to be tough to beat him (Milak) anyway, so well deserved for him. The Japanese boy got second, 1:53 from lane eight, so he saved his best swim for the last one, so fair play,” the 29-year-old South African said.
“The Italian boy got third, 1:54, so (I was) half-a-second off the medals. I guess it’s not the (end of the world). I just think 1:54 is like… I worked hard this year, and I deserved to be better than that.
“I don’t think too much about (Milak’s pace) – I just want to race. It sucks, because my mind and my soul deserved better than what I put out there, you know – it really does. It’s a bit sad.”
Le Clos bemoaned his lack of speed in the final 50 metres. “I know I am mentally stronger than all these guys. Sometimes it doesn’t come together, you know – it is what it is. I felt great, looking at everyone and feeling excited, like I usually do,” he said.