Golden double for SA

Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh gave SA a golden double at the world championships in Barcelona last night, but it was little-known Giulio Zorzi who added a perfect gilt-edged finish with an unexpected bronze medal.

Olympic 200m butterfly champion Le Clos added the world crown to his collection despite looking left and right several times on the final lap, as if he was trying to cross a highway.

He and dad Bert produced some trademark Le Clos waterworks during the medal ceremony, the cameras at poolside switching between father and son.

But there was no less emotion in SA's next coup of the night, the double podium finish of Van der Burgh and his best friend Zorzi in the 50m breaststroke. On the podium they stood together, arms around the other's necks, singing Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika.

Van der Burgh had to fight off a head cold and a strong challenge from Australian Christian Sprenger - who had beaten him in the 100m breaststroke earlier in the week - to take the 50m sprint by one-hundredth of a second.

It was the second time Van der Burgh has won this event at the world championships, but seeing Zorzi celebrating his bronze medal in lane eight made it his favourite victory.

"I touched and saw I was first and I was happy, but to look across the pool and see Giulio going crazy and he's in third place - that's one of the proudest moments of my life," said Van der Burgh, who clocked 26.77.

"We've grown up together since we were 10 years old, and we've always been best mates, [so] to finally be on the same podium singing the anthem together is one of the most amazing experiences of my life."

Zorzi, a civil engineering student, was ecstatic. "We've trained so much together, we go through all the hard times together, we know each other so well we don't really have to talk any more.

"It's been a dream this season that both of us would stand on the podium here," added Zorzi, who touched in a personal best of 27.04 to edge out fourth-placed Damir Dugonjic of Slovenia by one-hundredth of a second.

"I'm so happy I can't explain," he beamed. "It's the best third place I've ever got. I won at the World Student Games but to get a medal at a world championships is even better."

Van der Burgh, SA's most decorated world championship swimmer with seven gongs, said later that now was the time for cash-strapped Swimming SA to take advantage of the good performances.

"I hope the organisers will now step forward...and hopefully get sponsorships for the sport."

Le Clos was chuffed with his performance, which fell on the anniversary - to the day, almost to the minute - of his triumph over Michael Phelps at London 2012.

"I want to cement my spot as the best fly swimmer in the world, and I've done that," said Le Clos, who touched in 1min 54.32sec.

He said he kept glancing to the sides because he thought one of his rivals in an outside lane was ahead. "I saw the cameraman walking with the camera, I thought the guy in lane eight was ahead."

"I saw the cameraman walking with the camera, I though the guy in lane eight was ahead," he said.

Le Clos lines up for the 100m fly heats tomorrow. SA, with four medals in Barcelona, will want to at least match the record five they scooped in Montreal 2005.