FILE PICTURE: Fikile Mbalula, Minister of Sports and Recreation. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
“Once again, Chad continues to raise the South African flag high,” Mbalula said in a statement.
“We would like to congratulate him for his exceptional performance.”
Le Clos broke his own 200m butterfly short course record on Tuesday at the Singapore stop of the 2013 FINA World Cup Series.
Le Clos swam 1:48.56, breaking the 1:49.04 that he swam at the Netherlands stop in August.
Mbalula said this, and six other gold medals Le Clos won at the Qatar and Russia stops of the series, would enhance his chances of winning the South African Sports Star of the Year award.
Other sports stars nominated for the award are ‘Proteas batsman Hashim Amla, wheelchair tennis player and US Open champion Lucas Sithole, Bafana Bafana Captain Itumeleng Khune and long-distance runner Mapaseka Makhanya.
The winner will be announced at Sun City on November 17.
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