Commonwealth Games 2026: Chad Le Clos ‘would love’ to set medal record in Glasgow

Le Clos was eliminated in the heats of the 100m butterfly at the Paris 2024 Olympics and then suffered “a bunch of injuries”.

He says he would not have competed in Glasgow if not for his father Bert’s advice to take a break from swimming last year.

“I was going to jump straight into training in April,” he explained.

“My dad was like: ‘You’re taking 12 weeks off. You’re not going to do anything. No gym, no swimming, nothing. Just enjoy yourself’.

“I’ve never had that break in my life. It was a physical reset. It was great for the body to heal.

“I’m grateful to still be able to swim.”

One thing Le Clos also had to adjust to was Poole’s elder statesmanship.

“I look at the guys I’m running into and they’re all 19, 20, 21, 22. The oldest is 24.

“I’m the oldest guy in my event by 10 years, a senior.

“It’s crazy to think that in 2010, these guys were four years old, three years old. It’s unbelievable.”