Most athletes would be a little miffed with a bronze medal. South African swimmer Chad le Clos? He was openly weeping. And honestly, fair enough. That bronze wasn't just metal; it was Commonwealth Games history.
Le Clos just snagged his 19th medal at the Games, officially making him the most decorated male athlete ever to grace the competition. Let that satisfying number sink in. He now sails past Australian shooter Phil Adams and England's Mick Gault, both of whom topped out at a mere 18. Peanuts, really.
“I shouldn’t be crying at bronze, I should be crying at gold, but honestly this means the world,” the 34-year-old said after his record-setting swim in the men's 4x100-meter freestyle relay. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying for anyone who thought they had a chance against him.
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Start Your News DetoxHis current collection includes seven golds, four silvers, and eight bronzes. And he's not even done yet, with the 50- and 100-meter butterfly races still on his schedule. Because why stop at 19 when you can really rub it in?
Le Clos first made a splash at the Commonwealth Games back in 2010 in New Delhi, collecting five medals as an 18-year-old. This marks his fifth appearance, and clearly, he’s still got plenty of gas in the tank.
Beyond the Commonwealth pool, his trophy cabinet is probably groaning under the weight of four Olympic medals (one gold, naturally) and 16 world titles. His next audacious goal? Competing in his fifth Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. At this point, we should probably just give him a permanent lane.
