Chad le Clos sets Commonwealth Games medal record

South African swimmer Chad le Clos became the most decorated athlete in Commonwealth Games history on Wednesday after claiming his 21st medal at the 2026 Games.

The 34-year-old reached the milestone as part of South Africa’s bronze-winning 4x100-metre medley relay team, where he swam the butterfly leg. Officials said the medal moved him past the previous all-time record of 20, set by Australian swimmer Emma McKeon.

Medley relay bronze pushes le Clos beyond 20 medals Le Clos’s overall Commonwealth Games total now stands Le Clos’s overall Commonwealth Games total now stands at seven gold, five silver, and nine bronze medals, accumulated across five editions of the event since his debut in Delhi in 2010. At the 2026 Games, he has collected three medals so far. Those results include earlier podium finishes in the mixed 4x100 medley and the men’s 4x100 freestyle relay, before the record-setting bronze in the men’s 4x100-metre medley relay. A career built across five Commonwealth Games editions His medal run began at the Delhi Games in 2010, where he won five medals. He then added seven medals in Glasgow in 2014, followed by five more on the Gold Coast in 2018, and one in Birmingham in 2022.

South African

The new record extends a pattern of repeat podium performances across more than a decade of international competition, highlighting sustained results through multiple Commonwealth Games cycles.

Olympic profile and next target: Los Angeles 2028 Le Clos rose to broader global recognition after beating Michael Phelps in the 200-meter butterfly at the 2012 London Olympics. Officials noted Phelps had not been defeated in that event since 2001.

Le Clos has said he intends to continue racing and has set out a plan to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. That objective remains a key point to watch, as qualification pathways and his event schedule for the coming seasons have not been detailed in the available information.

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