Tatjana Smith Clinches South Africa’s First Gold Medal at The Olympics in Paris
South African Olympian Tatjana Smith (nee Schoenmaker) swam her way to a podium finish at the 2024 Summer Olympics in France, capturing South Africa’s first gold in the women’s 100m breaststroke on the 29th of July 2024. The Mzansi marlin fish’s win takes South Africa’s medal count up to three at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and it is also Africa’s first gold medal on the board.
The swimmer beat China’s Tang Qianting and Ireland’s Mona McSharry, who placed second and third respectively.
With her first-place performance, Tatjana also surpassed her best Olympic swimming result for the 100m breaststroke achieved at the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, where she came second-best to US swimmer Lydia Jacoby.
Tatjana Smith | SUPPLIED
The victory also secured back-to-back gold for Tatjana, who clinched first place in the 200m breaststroke at the 2020 Summer Olympics, outstripping the likes of two-time gold-winning US swimmer Lilly King and her compatriot Annie Lazor, who settled for bronze status.
Tatjana is due for another swimming event on the 31st of July, where she’ll defend the golden honour she won at the 2020 Olympics in the women’s 200m breaststroke. With the hopes of the nation resting on her shoulders, Tatjana and countrywoman Kaylene Corbett will be participating in the heats, vying for a spot in the finals which will take place on the 1st of August at the Paris Aquatics Centre.
Tatjana is also the current Olympic Record holder in the women’s 200m breaststroke, clocking an impressive 2:18.95, which was the then World Record before it was later beaten by Russian swimmer Evgenia Chikunova in 2023.
Although Smith’s victory was South Africa’s first gold medal, the country’s representatives already had a pair of bronze medals before Tatjana’s heroics.
The first bronze finish was delivered by the Blitzbokke, who beat the Australian sevens team at the Stade de France on the 27th of July 2024. Losing to the hosts in the semis by 19 – 5, the Blitzboks atoned with a 26 – 19 win in the bronze medal match. This was also the Blitzbokke’s second third-place finish at the men’s tournament, replicating the result they managed to get at the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
Durban-born Mountain bike racer Alan Hatherly made his mark in the cycling sphere, pedalling his way to the bronze medal in the men’s cross-country event on the 29th of July.
With the current medal count, South Africa’s current Olympic cohort has already matched the count of 2020’s Olympics (three medals).