Johannesburg - Chad le Clos expects a 'dog-fight' for the 100m butterfly
title but hopes to bring back South Africa's first gold medal in the pool at
the Fina World Championships in Kazan, Russia on Saturday.
The Olympic gold medallist qualified third-fastest in the semi-finals, touching the wall just short of his personal best and national record.
"It is going to be a dog-fight like it was in the 200m butterfly, but this time it is half the distance and there is no leaving it too late," Le Clos said.
"I'm just going to be out there with them, try turn with them and bring it home for South Africa.
"It's an important race for me, to win it for the country, to win the first gold medal. I will do my best."
Le Clos finished in second place in his semi-final on Friday with a time of 51.11 seconds.
The 23-year-old touched the wall behind American Tom Shields, who posted a matching 51.03 time with Laszlo Cseh of Hungary from separate heats.
"I am really happy with my swim it is close to my personal best and I am more confident now than I was after this morning’s swim," Le Clos said.
"It is going to be a hard race tomorrow with Tom Shields and Laszlo in it.
"It will definitely take a sub-51 to win it and I will have to go faster than my best time."
Cseh continued his sizzling form at the championships in the morning heats where he clocked 50.91.
The Hungarian beat Le Clos in his favourite 200m butterfly event on Wednesday.
It was Le Clos' first defeat at a major championship since beating American swimming legend Michael Phelps at the 2012 London Olympic Games for the title in the same event.