South African swimming legend Chad le Clos, fresh off breaking the all-time Commonwealth Games medal record, has faced an unthinkable personal tragedy: his long-time Cape Town apartment was completely destroyed by a large apartment block fire that also claimed the life of one of his neighbors.
The 34-year-old swimming star, who claimed his historic 21st Commonwealth Games medal – a bronze in the men’s 4×100-meter medley relay – on July 29 while competing in Glasgow, Scotland, was not home when the blaze broke out the following evening. The fire spread rapidly through the residential building in Sea Point, a scenic oceanside Cape Town suburb, reducing le Clos’ apartment to ashes. He noted in a public social media statement that he had lived in the home for more than 10 years, and that no personal belongings could be recovered from the wreckage.
In the same Instagram post shared Tuesday, le Clos extended heartfelt condolences to the family of an elderly neighbor who lost his life in the incident. The long-time neighbor had lived alongside the swimmer for many years before the tragedy. Despite his own devastating loss, le Clos announced that his personal foundation would launch a fundraising drive to support other displaced residents in rebuilding their lives and homes after the fire.
A decorated competitor with a decades-long elite career, le Clos claimed Olympic gold in the 200-meter butterfly at the 2012 London Games, and has amassed four total Olympic medals and 16 world championship titles throughout his professional career. Glasgow 2014 marked his fifth appearance at the Commonwealth Games, and the athlete has previously confirmed his plans to continue competing through the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.