Chad le Clos says Cape Town home destroyed by fire after Commonwealth record day

On the day he set a Commonwealth Games record in Glasgow, South African swimmer Chad le Clos revealed his Sea Point home in Cape Town was destroyed by a fire on July 30 and that a neighbour had died, he said on Instagram. He disclosed the loss only a few days after becoming the competition's most decorated athlete.

Le Clos, 34, reached 21 Commonwealth medals after helping South Africa win bronze in the men's 4x100m medley relay, moving past Australia's Emma McKeon on the all-time list. He added three medals at the 2026 Games — including bronze in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay and silver as part of South Africa's mixed 4x100m medley relay. The swimmer is best known for defeating Michael Phelps in the 200m butterfly at the 2012 London Olympics.

Only a few days after his record, Le Clos said in an Instagram post that his Sea Point residence in Cape Town, where he had lived for more than a decade, was ravaged by the blaze. "It has taken me a while to process this heartbreaking tragedy," the 2012 Olympic gold medallist said on Instagram. He made the post after the medal-winning performances at the Games.

"On the evening of 30 July, amid 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." A post shared by Chad Le Clos (@chadleclos92). The blaze also claimed the life of a neighbour.

Le Clos said he remembered the neighbour he had known for years and extended his sympathy to the deceased's loved ones. "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," the Durban-born swimmer said. "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."

The South African swimmer said he has started a fundraising drive to assist neighbours who were affected by the blaze.