Chad le Clos set Games records in both the men’s 50-metre and 100-metre butterfly at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The South African swimmer won both events at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre in Australia.
Le Clos won the 50m butterfly in 23.37 seconds, then captured the 100m butterfly in 50.65 seconds. Both performances established Commonwealth Games records, making the meet another major chapter in his long international career. He was also one of South Africa’s most recognizable swimmers after winning Olympic gold in the 200m butterfly at London 2012.
The 2018 victories added to le Clos’s Commonwealth Games reputation. He had already collected multiple medals at Glasgow 2014 and had become a major rival of Michael Phelps in the butterfly events. The 50m butterfly is a sprint event, while the 100m requires swimmers to sustain speed over twice the distance; winning and setting records in both demonstrates le Clos’s unusual range.