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Chad le Clos Becomes Commonwealth Games' Most Decorated Male Athlete

The milestone follows a 12-week recovery break that he says revived his body and focus for competition.

Overview

  • Le Clos earned a 19th Commonwealth medal by helping South Africa take bronze in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay at Glasgow 2026, moving ahead of shooters Phil Adams and Mick Gault on the all-time male list.
  • He remains entered in the individual 50m and 100m butterfly events in Glasgow and could still add to his medal total at these races.
  • Le Clos says a 12-week break from training, taken on his father's advice after Paris 2024 and a run of injuries, was a physical reset that made his return to competition possible.
  • Off the pool, he runs a growing swimming academy in South Africa with 13 clubs and about 3,000 members and plans to expand the program to 50 clubs within two years.
  • Le Clos holds an Olympic gold and multiple world titles, has no immediate plans to retire, and continues to target a fifth Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.