Chad Le Clos ready to fight after Tatjana Schoenmaker misses medal chance

Chad Le Clos is ready to fight to win SA’s first medal of the world swimming championships in Gwangju on Wednesday night after Tatjana Schoenmaker missed her chance on Tuesday.

Schoenmaker‚ racing in lane two‚ was never in contention for the podium and ended a tame sixth in 1min 06.60sec‚ well outside her own SA record.

America’s defending champion Lilly King won in 1:04.93 ahead of Russian veteran Yuliya Efimova in 1:05.49.

Italy’s Martina Carraro was third in 1:06.36‚ which is four-hundredths of a second slower than the 1:06.32 SA record Schoenmaker clocked at the World Student Games in Italy earlier this month.

The medal was in Schoenmaker’s reach‚ but the double Commonwealth Games champion put a brave face on her performance‚ admitting she had been nervous in the build-up.

“I was shaking already on the blocks. I was hoping I don’t false start‚” she said with a laugh.

On the one hand it’s a missed opportunity‚ but on the other this is the biggest stage she’s raced on so far in her career and this is the time to iron out niggles before the Olympics in Tokyo next year.

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In her defence‚ Schoenmaker has also had to hold a long taper — the period of reducing training before competition — that started just before the Universiade more than two weeks ago.

Defending champion Le Clos‚ as Schoenmaker had done‚ qualified fifth fastest overall in the 200m butterfly semifinals.

He was second in his swim-off‚ but he looked slow compared to pace-setter Kristof Milak of Hungary‚ who won in 1:52.96‚ the identical time Le Clos clocked to win Olympic gold at London 2012.

Le Clos led for the first half‚ but once the European champion came at him over the second 100m‚ he looked unstoppable.

“I’m very happy‚ I just wanted to make the final‚” said Le Clos.

“It’s going to be tough tomorrow — he’s very far ahead of everyone. We’ll see. I’ve come for the fight‚ I’ve come to race.”

After the morning heats Le Clos said he was coming for “these young guns”.

“They are talking a lot of trash and we’ll see.”

The 27-year-old explained later that they needed to respect the achievements of older swimmers‚ including American legend Michael Phelps.

“They’re talking about things and they haven’t won anything yet. It’s not to say they won’t win anything.

“I’m not going to mention any names‚” he added.

Milak is 19 and American Zach Harting‚ winner of the other semifinal in 1:55.26‚ is 21.

Of others in the final‚ Italian Frederico Burdisso is 17 and Denys Kesyl of Ukraine is 18.

Le Clos was recently diagnosed with a groin hernia‚ but he said that was not a factor in racing.

“I don’t make excuses‚" he said.

I’m fit and there’s no hernia in my mind. Win or lose there’s no such thing.”