Le Clos' home destroyed by fire after he sets Commonwealths record

Chad le Clos said his flat in Sea Point, Cape Town was destroyed by fire shortly after he set a new Commonwealth Games record. The swimmer revealed on Instagram that the blaze began on the evening of 30 July, while he was celebrating his 21st Commonwealth medal, which moved him ahead of Australia’s Emma McKeon as the most decorated athlete in the history of the Games. “It has taken me a portion to process this heartbreaking tragedy,” le Clos wrote. “On the evening of 30 July, amid breaking the all‑time Commonwealth record, a fire started in my flat block, which rapidly spread to my home. Sadly my home, where I've lived for more than a decade, burnt down and there is nothing left to salvage.” He paid tribute to a longtime neighbour who died in the fire, offering his “deepest and most sincere condolences” to the victim’s family and friends. “No words can truly ease a loss similar to this, but I hope the family knows that the thoughts of an entire community are with them,” the Durban‑born athlete added. According to reports, a 93‑year‑old resident perished in the incident. Le Clos also addressed fellow residents whose homes and livelihoods were affected: “To my fellow neighbours whose homes and lives have been severely affected by this fire, please know that you are not alone. This is simply a tight‑knit community and it is in moments like these that we lean on one another.” The swimmer, who famously beat Michael Phelps to win the 200 m butterfly gold at the London Olympics in 2012, said he has launched a fundraising effort to assist those impacted by the blaze. Phelps, a 14‑time Olympic champion, had not lost a race since 2001 until le Clos defeated him. Le Clos first earned a Commonwealth medal in Delhi in 2010 at age 18 and now holds seven gold, five silver and nine bronze medals across five editions of the Games. Over his career he has collected four Olympic medals, 16 world titles, seven Commonwealth golds and ten African titles.