London: Sobbing on the top of the podium, South Africa’s Chad Le Clos looked like he could hardly believe that he had not only won a gold medal but beaten his hero Michael Phelps to do so.
Le Clos stole the 200 metres butterfly title from Phelps in the dying seconds, just getting to the wall 0.05 seconds before the American on Tuesday and the outcome was ironic, given Phelps’ famous ability to execute masterful finishes.
“I felt like him, swimming that last 50 I felt like I was Phelps,” said Le Clos. “I always wanted to swim in an Olympic Games and I wanted to be like him.
“I always remembered Phelps coming off the last wall strongly, using that momentum, so that’s what I tried to do.”
Phelps, who sealed his legacy on Tuesday with a record 19th Olympic medal, praised Le Clos’ performance, describing him as “a very, very good competitor, a very hard working kid, a very hungry kid”.
Le Clos’ surprise win came hot on the heels of a gold for his compatriot Cameron Van der Burgh, who broke the breaststroke world record on Sunday.
Although the South African relay team finished outside the medals in both the 4x100 and 4x200 freestyle, the two individual golds will give the African nation hope that its swimming programme is undergoing a renaissance.
Chinese officials, meanwhile, have reacted angrily to doping accusations swirling around their newest swimming superstar Ye Shiwen, who has won two gold medals at the London Olympics. The accusations grew after the 16-year-old Ye won the women’s 400-meter individual medley, and Ye also won Tuesday’s 200-meter IM race. In Saturday’s 400, Ye swam the last lap in 28.93 seconds — a split-second faster than American winner Ryan Lochte posted in the last 50 of the men’s race.
On Wednesday, the state-run Global Times fired back, saying questions about Ye’s feats were unfair.
“The West still judges China with an old mentality, and is petty about the progress China makes,” the newspaper said in an editorial. That was followed by the state broadcaster CCTV stepping in to support Ye on its noon newscast.
Ye’s father, Ye Qingsong, told Chinese media that western media are “always arrogant.” Olympic organisers in London also defended the Chinese swimmer.
