Since the swimmers are up first at the Games, I’ll throw ya one more before taking a look at a few male gymnasts. One of the younger stand-out swimmers at the London Games is South Africa’s Chad le Clos. The 6’ 5” 20-year-old has beat Michael Phelps in the 200m fly, and was officially crowned the winner of FINA/Arena Swimming World Cup 2011 series after competing in seven countries within five weeks last year and amassing a whopping 23 gold medals.

Making his first Olympic appearance in London, Chad qualified for five different events – the 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley, 400m individual medley, 200m freestyle, and the 100m butterfly – the first South African to manage that feat. Even with his recent record, he is still considered an underdog. For now.

Not surprisingly, Michael Phelps is his hero. The two will be competing against each other in London. “I think what is going to be very special in these Olympics, is that Michael Phelps is swimming as well, and the five disciplines that I race are the exact same five that he swims.” He says. “He has been a role model for me growing up, and you know, just to race against him, one of the greatest Olympians of all time, will be a great honor.”

Chad and his coach both view the London Games as preparation for 2016. Chad says these games are a bonus for him but it is the Rio de Janeiro Olympics that he has his eyes set on. But so far he’s done pretty good in London. He beat Phelps and came in second in the qualifying heats for the 400m individual medley, and placed fifth in the final.

[‘The XXX Games’ are a series of posts about hot Olympians, gay competitors – both present and past – and general articles about the 2012 London Olympics of interest to gay men. So, yeah, lots of hot male eye candy. Click the XXX Games graphic below for additional news, stories, and pictures.]