‘No Excuse For Failure’ Says Le Clos After Finishing Fifth
Having led at the 100m marks, Le Clos finished in fifth place in a time of 1:54.93 with Hungarian favourite and world record-holder Kristof Milak taking the gold in an Olympic record time of 1:51.25.
“I was feeling really good, I thought I was going to win at one stage… It stung real bad because I thought I’m back. But then coming back [in the final 50m] the legs stopped working. I could see them coming and I was telling myself to hang on for 10 more metres. It sucks but that’s life. Congratulations to Kristof. It was going to be tough to beat him so well-deserved for him,” said Le Clos after the race.
“It’s part of life. We’ve had a lot of tragedies in the last year so this is nothing compared to that, but it hurts a lot. Not quite as bad as five years ago [when he finished in fourth place]. But it’s my third 200 ’fly final, I guess that’s not too bad. I’ll be back, it’s no problem. It’s not the end,” he added.
Le Clos had suggested he would soon be shelving the 200m events in favour of the shorter sprint distances. But Wednesday’s result has meant that plan has been put on hold for now.
Asked if this was his last 200m butterfly race, the 29-year-old, who remains South Africa’s most-decorated Olympian, reckoned: “No, I can’t end off like that – you’re crazy. If I had won, then it would be my last one.
Chad Le Clos when asked if this would be his final 200m butterfly race: “No, I can’t end off like that, you’re crazy. If I had won, then it would be my last one.”#Tokyo2020— SuperSport ?? (@SuperSportTV) July 28, 2021
“We’ll win it at Commonwealth Games next year. We’ll remind everybody once again at the Commonwealth Games and then that could be my final one. I’m looking forward to swimming some 100 freestyle, 100 fly but we’ll see what happens.
“It’s been a rocky couple of months but I stand here today with no excuses, head held high I guess. It’s very disappointing for the country, I really wanted to win a medal for them.
“But it’s not the end of it… these guys. I’ll get them before they get me. I’ll get them again, no problem. That’s for sure.”
Despite a troubled build-up to the Games, Le Clos said he was feeling good ahead of Wednesday’s race, after qualifying third fastest from the semifinals.
“I felt great, walked out there, looking at everyone, feeling excited like I usually do. I wasn’t nervous at all. It’s just the body didn’t work, it didn’t come back, unfortunately. It is what it is. There’s nothing you can do about that, no excuses for failure.
“I worked hard this year. I deserved to do better. It just sucks because my mind and my soul deserved better than what I put out there. It’s a bit sad. I know I’m mentally stronger than these guys, but sometimes it just doesn’t come together.”
While the 200m was his likeliest shot at a medal, Le Clos will have one last chance to reach the podium at these Games in the 100m butterfly, with the heats scheduled for Thursday.
Elsewhere in Tokyo, there was some consolation for the Blitzboks who won their playoff match against Australia 22-19 and will face the USA in a battle for fifth place later in the day. The SA women’s hockey team went down 5-0 to European champions the Netherlands, while in rowing, the men’s four ended their miserable run at these Games with a last-place finish in the B final.
