Le Clos ready for battle against veteran Schoeman at SA Champs

With his sights set on qualifying for the Fina World Championships in Fukuoka later this year, Chad le Clos says he is eager to take on another of the country’s all-time swimming greats when he lines up against Roland Schoeman at the SA Swimming Championships in Gqeberha this week.

Le Clos, who turns 31 on Wednesday’s opening day of competition at the five-day domestic spectacle, will compete against 42-year-old Schoeman in the men’s 100m freestyle event.

A four-time Olympic medallist, Le Clos will turn out as the favourite after launching a career comeback to claim two gold medals at last year’s World Short-Course Championships, but he is eager to face Schoeman, a three-time Olympic medallist who is set to make his first appearance at the national championships since 2016.

‘Exciting’ race

“The 100m free is a new event which I’ve been working quite hard on recently but understanding that is still a process,” said Le Clos.

“I think it’s going to be quite exciting. It’s great that Roland’s back, it’s really amazing that he’s still swimming at his age, and I think he’s going to be good.”

Aside from the 100m freestyle, Schoeman has also entered the 50m freestyle and butterfly events, while Le Clos is in the entry lists for the 100m and 200m butterfly.

Meanwhile, the two teenagers who took last year’s Commonwealth Games by storm and were recently named Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year at the SA Sports Awards, Lara van Niekerk and Pieter Coetzé, will also be competing in Gqeberha.

Teenage prospects

Van Niekerk made a splash in 2022 by beating Olympic gold and silver medallist Tatjana Schoenmaker in the 100m breaststroke at both the national championships and the Commonwealth Games and will once again come up against her esteemed compatriot in the chase for SA titles.

Taking on a busy programme of six events, Coetzé will be in action in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, as well as the 50m and 100m freestyle and the 50m butterfly.

Fellow teenager Matt Sates, who earned gold and bronze at last year’s World Short Course Championships, will turn out in the 200m and 400m freestyle events, and the 200 and 400m individual medley.