Chad le Clos says Sea Point apartment destroyed by fire after he became Commonwealths' most-decorated athlete

Chad le Clos said his apartment in Sea Point, Cape Town, was destroyed by a fire on the night after he became the most decorated athlete in Commonwealth Games history at the 2026 Games in Glasgow.

Le Clos secured his 21st Commonwealth medal when South Africa won bronze in the men's 4x100m medley relay in Glasgow last week, overtaking Australia's Emma McKeon as the Games' all-time leading medallist. The 34-year-old's medal haul at the 2026 Games also included silver in the mixed 4x100 medley and bronze in the men's 4x100 freestyle relay, making the Glasgow podium his third of the tournament.

On Instagram, the 2012 Olympic gold medallist wrote: "It has taken me a while to process this heartbreaking tragedy. 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."

Le Clos paid tribute to a "neighbour of many years" who died in the incident and offered his "deepest and most sincere condolences" to the victim's family and friends. According to reports, a 93-year-old resident died in the fire.

Addressing affected neighbours, Le Clos added: "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."

Le Clos is best known for beating Michael Phelps to win the 200m butterfly at the London 2012 Olympics; Phelps was a 14-time Olympic champion and had not lost in the event since 2001 when the United States icon was beaten by Le Clos. He won his first Commonwealth medal in Delhi in 2010 at the age of 18 and now has seven gold, five silver and nine bronze medals across five editions of the Games.

Le Clos has launched a fundraising campaign to help neighbours affected by the blaze.