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Johannesburg - Chad le Clos will add the 100m backstroke to his repertoire at the second leg of the Mare Nostrum series in Barcelona on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Olympic gold medallist will be in action in his specialised butterfly events but will also be swimming the 200m freestyle and the 100m backstroke.
At the first leg of the series in France, Le Clos missed out on a podium finish in the 200m butterfly but finished first in the 100m butterfly.
Fellow Olympic gold medallist Cameron van der Burgh also missed out on a medal in the 100m breaststroke and clinched the silver medal in the 50m breaststroke sprint.
National swimming coach Graham Hill said although the two star swimmers did not come out on top in some of their events there was nothing to be concerned about.
“We are all happy and we are all at a very good place, we are happy with the results so far, there is nothing to be worried about at this stage and we’ll see how we go in Barcelona,” Hill said.
“As for our Olympic gold medallists there is nothing to be worried about, they are not Olympic gold medallists for nothing.
“They know what they are doing and they are in control and I don’t think anyone should write these two world-class swimmers off.”
Myles Brown, who won silver and a bronze medal in the 400m and 200m freestyle respectively will add the 800m freestyle in Barcelona.
“Myles is going really well, he’s come to the front now and he has shown in the past what he’s got and he’s swimming really well at the moment,” Hill said.
Hill said this year’s Mare Nostrum series attracted some of the world’s best swimmers making it the best field he has seen since taking South African swimmers there.
“This is my 15th Mare Nostrum and this year in particular has come out to race and I haven’t seen a field this strong in the years that I’ve been coming here, so it is really a tough competition,” he said.
Van der Burgh when toe-to-toe with 50m and 100m breaststroke world record holder Adam Peaty of Britain in France while Le Clos faced Olympic champion Ryan Lochte of the United States.
