Le Clos named Youth Olympics ambassador

It was a double celebration for Durban’s golden boy, Chad le Clos, last night as he announced that he had been appointed ambassador for next year’s Youth Olympics in China and had also been recruited to train future Durban swimming stars.

Joining the celebrations was the metro, announcing its radical plans to ensure that Durban becomes the premier city for swimming in the country by ploughing more than R50 million into the sport. Former Durbanite, Princess Charlene of Monaco, is also set to donate a “large amount” to the city’s swimming future. This could make it the top sport in the city, ahead even of rugby and soccer.

“For far too long, swimming has been neglected in the city,” said head of parks and recreation, Thembinkosi Ngcobo. “But with the likes of Chad, we’ve seen that the city has the potential to be the swimming capital of the country.”

This would see an overhaul of the sport, Ngcobo said, with the R50m that was budgeted to go towards a new 50m pool in Inanda. A further R1.5m would be set aside to recruit qualified swimming coaches, including Le Clos and his coach, Graham Hill.

The two would play a pivotal role in honing the skills and talent of potential swimmers and future Olympic medallists.

Speaking during a training session at the Lahee Park swimming pool in Pinetown, Le Clos said he was excited about imparting his skills to young kids. He returned this month from the Fina World Championships in Barcelona, where he won two world titles and set a world short-course record.

Le Clos said he was “proud, humbled and truly honoured” to be named the face of the Youth Olympics.

Ngcobo elaborated on the city’s plan to produce 15 000 professional swimmers in five years. He said the city had decided to establish a swimming pools unit.

The city has 53 pools, a number it wants to increase drastically. It is also looking at heating all of them.

Kings Park, Umlazi, Hambanathi and Clermont are the only heated facilities in the city.

“We need to heat more facilities and plans are on the way to heat pools in KwaMashu, Phoenix and Chatsworth. This will enable the local swimming clubs to train all year round,” said Ngcobo.

With the financial boost from Princess Charlene, the city was also set to create a sports academy in the Lahee Park precinct “to host national and international athletes within the Pinetown area”.

A report, to be tabled next week, entails plans to have pools open for longer periods. The city has also recruited 120 additional staff ahead of the swimming season on October 1. - Independent on Saturday