Olympic Champion and South African swim star Chad le Clos confirms his mother and his father are both currently battling cancer.
Chad le Clos released the statement below:
The Rio Olympics are just a few weeks away but I can confirm that both my parents are fighting cancer.
My Mum Geraldine has breast cancer which has returned since her remission in 2010. She has recently undergone a double mastectomy and is now having chemo. My Dad Bert developed prostate cancer and has also undergone an operation in late June.
It has not been an easy time but I am training hard for Rio. More than anything else I want them to win their battles. I also hope that they will be in Rio.
I would ask my friends in the media to respect their recovery. I will also not be doing any media prior to Rio.
I’ve always liked le clos. When he beat Phelps in London I was like omg I hate this guy. But after time went on I realized, I really like Chad le Clos. He is what swimming is all about. Not the biggest, not the strongest, but has an attitude of I’ll kick your ass on race day and he gets it done. I’ll still be routing for Phelps but Le Clos aint that bad. I wont be mad if Le Clos wins a race or two especially after reading this story. Guy is a warrior and I wont be surprised if he does.
Wish them both quick recovery and sure they will be in rio….
Hope both of your parents have a quick and full recovery and can travel to Rio to watch you fight your battles in the pool! Good luck to you and your family!
I will diligently pray for the Le Cros family. May God bless them through this very difficult time. A special prayer will be said for Chad for strength to deal with the intense pressure of swimming in an Olympic Games while dealing with the health of people he loves dearly.
I wish them and Chad well and hope that NBC won’t go overboard on that storyline. But they will.
Wish them all good health and a speedy recovery
We wish them a speedy recovery.
How can anyone vote down hoping someone recovers from life-threatening illness?
I wish them both the best in recovering. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Bert and he is a great person