Swimming star Chad le Clos says he lost about 90% of his belongings when a fire destroyed his Sea Point apartment, while a 93-year-old neighbour died in the blaze.
The South African swimmer was told about the fire shortly after helping his country win a bronze medal in the men’s 4×100 metres medley relay at the Commonwealth Games last week.
That medal was particularly significant for the 34-year-old, as it was his 21st at the Commonwealth Games. The achievement moved him beyond Australian swimmer Emma McKeon’s previous record for the most medals won at the event.
But while speaking to the media after the race, le Clos learned that a fire had broken out at his apartment block in Sea Point, a suburb of Cape Town, and was spreading rapidly.
“I was doing the media scrum after ‘medal 21’, and one of the guys said he was sorry to hear about what happened back home and that my apartment building was on fire and that it was spreading like crazy,” he told KFM in an interview.
The combination of sporting success and personal loss made the period especially difficult for the four-time Olympic medallist.
“That night was so significant to break that record… and so even though my apartment burnt down, I’m still truly grateful and blessed to have that record.”
After the Commonwealth Games, le Clos travelled to Austin Texas to surprise his brother Jordan. He only returned to Sea Point afterwards, meaning he had to deal with the consequences of the fire once back home.
“My neighbour of nine years passed away in the fire, and I sleep with an eye mask and ear plugs, so if I was there who knows what would have happened. I think there were six or seven apartments burnt down, it was tragic … I’d say 90% of my stuff is all gone, the memorabilia alone is worth more than anything else… There is a lot of stuff I can’t replace…”
Le Clos said the memorabilia he lost included items whose personal and financial value would be difficult to recover.
The Chad le Clos Foundation has since started a fundraising campaign aimed at helping residents affected by the fire.
In a statement posted on Instagram, le Clos described the incident as a tragedy that had taken time to process.
“It has taken me a while to process this heartbreaking tragedy. On the evening of 30 July, amidst breaking the all-time Commonwealth record, a fire started in my apartment block, which quickly 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 wrote.
He also offered his condolences to the family and friends of the neighbour who died.
“It is with a heavy heart that I extend my deepest and most sincere condolences to the family and friends of my neighbour of many years, who tragically lost his life in this fire.
“No words can truly ease a loss like this, but I hope the family knows that the thoughts of an entire community are with them.
“To my fellow neighbours whose homes and lives have been severely affected by this fire, please know that you are not alone. This is a tight-knit community and it is in moments like these that we lean on one another.”
