Chad le Clos finished with 200m fly?

Cape Town - Former South African Olympic gold medal winner, Ryk Neethling, has suggested Chad le Clos won't swim the 200m butterfly in Tokyo in 2020.

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Neethling, who was part of the gold medal-winning SA foursome in the 4x100m freestyle relay in Athens in 2004, took to Twitter to express his thoughts on Wednesday.

Le Clos, who won the 200m butterfly in London in 2012, finished outside the medals in fourth place in Tuesday night's (Wednesday morning SA time) race in Rio.

Michael Phelps claimed victory - his 20th Olympic gold medal (he would later go on to win his 21st in the 4x200m freestyle relay) - ahead of Japan's Masato Sakai and Hungarian teenager Tamás Kenderesi.

Neethling said he wouldn't be surprised if Rio was the last time Le Clos swam the 200m butterfly at a big international meet, suggesting the 24-year-old was more suited to the 100m and 200m freestyle and the 100m butterfly.

Le Clos, who took a surprise silver in the 200m freestyle earlier in the week, will start his 100m butterfly campaign in the heats on Thursday.

Le Clos has been drawn in Lane 4 in heat 5 (of 6) at 19:28 (SA time)

Le Clos won the silver medal in the 100m butterfly in London four years ago, finishing behind, you guessed it, Phelps.

Won't be surprised if that is the last 200fly we see Chad swim at a big international meet. 100/200free and 100fly probably more suited now

— Ryk Neethling (@RykNeethling) August 10, 2016

4th for Chad. Gold medal number 20 for Michael Phelps. I really thought after seeing Chad's 200free that he had a 1.52 in him. On to the 100

— Ryk Neethling (@RykNeethling) August 10, 2016

Wow. That was a shock.

— Ryk Neethling (@RykNeethling) August 10, 2016