THIS spectacular picture captures Tatjana Smith during her 200m breaststroke heat at the Paris Olympics yesterday. Reuters
SOUTH Africans could potentially be bidding adieu to their golden girl Tatjana Smith at the Paris Olympics.
Having already claimed the gold medal in the 100m breaststroke at La Defense Arena earlier this week – to go along with her silver in the same event and gold in the 200m discipline at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago – Smith is now gearing up for one final challenge.
The 27-year-old was again in supreme form in the 200m heats yesterday morning, clocking the fastest time, and is all set to defend her Tokyo crown tonight (9.11pm) in the final to join fellow South African swimming legend Penny Heyns as the only competitors to ever claim the Olympic breaststroke double at the same event.
Smith is also set to be crowned South Africa’s most decorated Olympian, joining men’s swimmer Chad le Clos on four medals, although she would be ranked higher by virtue of more gold medals won.
However, Smith, who recently changed her surname from Schoenmaker after marrying Joel Smith last November, has previously openly spoken about how her “life really changed” after becoming an Olympic champion.
This has prompted Smith to seriously consider life beyond the swimming pool.
“It really forced me to think for my character as well. There were some ups and downs, but it really came down to the mental side,” Smith was reported as saying by Reuters yesterday.
“I feel like I’m in a much better space than I was in Tokyo, in terms of just really enjoying swimming for what it is. It’s not my identity and it’s not who I am – it’s just what I do. There’s life after swimming as well.
“I’m not going to beat myself up because of this. I’m trying to enjoy it as much as I can. I probably won’t be swimming any longer. So, I have two more races to go, and then I’m done.”
Tatjana Smith ensures she has the chance to make Olympic history 🐐
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 31, 2024
Kaylene Corbett will join her in the Women's 200m Breaststroke final 🇿🇦
📺 That race will be LIVE tomorrow at 21:11 (CAT) on ch. 203 (SA) & ch. 223 (ROA).#Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/sWdicojZHY
Smith, however, feels that having already brought joy to the 60 million people back home in South Africa when she claimed gold in the 100m, she can now enjoy the remainder of her Olympic career.
“Every race now, I’m just enjoying and having fun. I think that the 100 really took off a lot of pressure in terms of a lot of expectation. So now, this time I can really just have fun with my swimming and enjoy every single race,” she said.
“When I burn, I can be like, ‘It’s okay, I have two more races to burn, and I’m never going to feel those things again’. It just makes me more excited to race.”
Fellow South African Kaylene Corbett was also impressive in the 200m heats as she finished second in a time of 2:23.85, behind Smith’s 2:21.57.
Both swimmers sailed through last night’s semi-finals to qualify for tonight’s final (9.11pm).
Meanwhile, in the men’s 200m backstroke, Pieter Coetzé won his heat in 1:56.92 and placed second overall heading into last night’s semi-finals, where he finished second again in 1:56.09, trailing Switzerland’s Roman Mityukov (1:56.05), to qualify for tonight’s final (8.38pm).
How good was that final stretch from Pieter Coetze to seal his place in the Men's 200m Backstroke final 🇿🇦⚡️
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 31, 2024
📺 That race will be LIVE tomorrow at 20:38 (CAT) on ch. 203 (SA) & ch. 223 (ROA).#Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/qvdlLlINGZ
Coetzé, 20, finished a credible fifth in the 100m backstroke final last Sunday.
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