Both South African Chad le Clos and Australian Cate Campbell will be in action in Perth this weekend competing in the BHP Billiton Super Series, but both have their eyes on more significant accomplishments at a future date.
Both swimmers had a successful summer at the World Championships, le Clos winning both the 100 and 200 butterfly while Campbell captured individual gold in the 100 freestyle, ”
“I want to get out of (Michael) Phelps’ shadow and do something different. I won the 100m and 200m butterfly at the World Championships last year, and nobody had done that, but Phelps has done it at the Olympics,”le Clos told The Citizen.
le Clos’ next major international competition is the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer, a meet that the Americans do not attend, so he can not eclipse another of Phelp’s feats, but he plans on making his way towards passing one of Susie O’Neill‘s career accomplishments of 16 Commonwealth medals, “So I want to go for the 50m, 100m, and 200m (butterfly) at the Commonwealth Games to make a statement.”
Campbell will be competing in Glasgow, but she would like to join O’Neill as one of Australia’s Olympic champions, something Madame butterfly achieved at both the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games, “I haven’t achieved all that I want to achieve from swimming,” Campbell told SBS.
“There’s always that little carrot dangling there – and that’s an Olympic individual gold medal.”
“I may not ever achieve it, but I’m going to give it a red-hot go.”
“I’m still that greyhound chasing the rabbit. Hopefully, one day, I’ll catch it.”
Campbell earned a gold as part of the 4 x 100 freestyle relay in London, but was struck down by a virus at the games which prevented her from being able to compete at her her best for an individual gold. The 21 year old made her debut on the international stage at the 2008 Olympics where she collected a bronze in the 50 freestyle at the age of 16, “I’m already starting to feel old at the ripe old age of 21.”
“But at the moment, I can’t think of anything else in the world I’d rather be doing.”
O’Neill won gold in 1996 and 2000.
“I won the 100m and 200m butterfly at the World Championships last year, and nobody had done that, but Phelps has done it at the Olympics,”le Clos told The Citizen.
Phelps did it 3 times at the World Championships, in 2007, 2009, and 2011. Is he making a joke I don’t get?
I was about to make the same comment. Was really confused and even looked it up to make sure… but yeah… what?
Just wow, Chad. That was nasty. And he says that Phelps was his childhood hero?
I thought that must have been a typo or something or a translation error, but le clos speak english as first language, no?
the mistake was so glaring that it must be a joke.
It’s a quote from the citizen so maybe their journalist got it wrong or took it out of context?
Livestream?
200m fly WR is achievable.. hard but achievable.. but sub-50 on 100m is nearly impossible..
He has no one who can take gold of him right now.. maybe Phelps on 100 if he returns on top..
50 fly I think it might be tought beating Cielo..
Rafael,
Cielo will never swim Commonwealth Games, so, is not a problem for him to aim 50 fly.