What a comeback by Chad le Clos! The 24-year-old from Durban clinched Team South Africa’s fifth medal of the Rio Olympics when he dead-heated with Michael Phelps and Laszlo Cseh for silver in a remarkable 100m butterfly final on Saturday.
It was supposed to be all about Le Clos vs Phelps 2.0 at these Games, but instead it was a 21-year-old from Singapore, Joseph Schooling, who handed out a swimming lesson to his more illustrious rivals to win his country’s first ever gold medal at the Rio Olympics.
Schooling led virtually from start to finish, touching the wall first after 50 metres and then maintaining his speed right through to the end to set a new Olympic record of 50.39.
That saw him finish an astonishing 0.75 of a second ahead of the three favourites for the title – American Phelps, Le Clos and Hungary’s Cseh – who all stopped the clock at 51.14.
Le Clos had made his customary quick start out of the blocks, but Schooling – who had qualified fastest for the final – was out in front, with Phelps, Le Clos and Cseh not even in the top three at the 50m mark.
So the South African star did well to fight his way back into medal contention in the last 25m, and at least got into the medals to become South Africa’s most decorated Olympian by clinching the fourth medal of his career.
“I’m disappointed, obviously, but I’m just happy,” Le Clos told the Olympic News Service afterwards. “A tie with Michael and Laszlo.
“Two silver medals (in Rio, with the first in the 200m freestyle) – I’m still the most decorated Olympian in my country, so I’m proud. I hope that Michael can stay around long enough for me to race him again. I’d love that.”
Schooling, who trains and developed his technique in the United States and studies at the University of Texas, said: “I’m just ecstatic. I don’t think it has set in yet. It’s just crazy. It was just a thrill to swim against Michael Phelps and all those guys. I just saw my time and I was going nuts.”
It was a crowded podium ceremony with four athletes receiving medals, with Schooling on his own in the middle and the others to his right.
But if there was any bad blood previously between Le Clos and Phelps following “Staregate”, they appeared to bury the hatchet as they held hands with Cseh, and Le Clos raised them into the air when their names were announced as silver medallists.
Meanwhile, South African Brad Tandy nearly caused a massive upset in the 50m freestyle final soon after Le Clos’ race as he blasted out of the blocks to take the lead for the first 25 metres.
But American Anthony Ervin showed his class to produce an unbelievable finish and snatch gold away from defending champion Florent Manoudou, 16 years after Ervin won the same event at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Ervin won in 21.40 to become the oldest athlete – at 35 – to win a gold medal in swimming. Manoudou took silver in 21.41, with American Nathan Adrian claiming the bronze in 21.49.
But Tandy will be pleased with his effort as the 25-year-old from Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal ended joint-sixth in a new personal best of 21.79.
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