WATCH: Chad le Clos chasing history, greatness in 200m butterfly final

South Africa’s most decorated swimmer Chad le Clos will get a chance to make history in Birmingham on Sunday evening when he swims in the final of the 200m butterfly event at the Commonwealth Games.

The defending champion in the event, Le Clos qualified second fastest (1.56,85) in the heats on Sunday morning and will be confident of filling a place on the podium. Fastest in the morning was New Zealand’s Lewis Clareburt, who clocked 1.56, 76.

Le Clos, who is possibly swimming at his final Commonwealth Games, has a total of 17 medals across three previous events. One more medal will put him alongside shooters Michael Gault from England and Phil Adams of Australia, who both have 18 Commonwealth Games medals.

‘It’s spooky’

Le Clos qualifying for the 200m final on Sunday is 10 years to the day that he beat American Michael Phelps at London 2012 to become Olympic champion.

“It’s spooky,” he said after qualifying. “It’s a monumental day for me absolutely but you know what, I’ve taken the emotion out of today because it’s different.

“It’s the same country, same day, same hour, same lane but at the end of the day, I’ve just got to be composed tonight, execute, have a game plan.” 

Meanwhile, South Africa will be hoping for more medals elsewhere as well, following the golds won by Lara van Niekerk and Pieter Coetze on Saturday evening.

Tatjana Schoenmaker was fastest (2.21,76) in qualifying for the women’s 200m breaststroke final, also to be held on Sunday night, and she’ll be joined in the event by Kaylene Corbett, who finished second in her heat in 2.25,08 and qualified fourth fastest for the final.