South African Olympic champion swimmer Chad le Clos has revealed that his home in Cape Town was destroyed in a fire, just one day after he became the most decorated athlete in Commonwealth Games history.

The 34-year-old athlete took to Instagram to share the news, stating that his apartment was one of several in the block that were gutted by a blaze on July 30, while he was competing at the games in Glasgow, Scotland. He described the loss as devastating, noting that he had lived in the home for over a decade and nothing was left to salvage.

The fire occurred shortly after le Clos won a bronze medal in the men's 4×100-meter medley relay, securing his record-breaking 21st Commonwealth Games medal. This achievement cemented his status as one of the greatest swimmers in the history of the event.

In his emotional post, le Clos also offered condolences for the death of an elderly man in the apartment block fire in the coastal suburb of Sea Point. He mentioned that the man had been his neighbor for many years. The swimmer pledged that his foundation would raise funds to help other affected neighbors rebuild their homes.

Le Clos, who won gold in the 200-meter butterfly at the 2012 London Olympics, has a total of four Olympic medals and 16 world titles. Glasgow marked his fifth Commonwealth Games, and he has expressed his intention to compete at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, United States.

Source: www.aljazeera.com