In the sunlit waters of Paris, the 2024 Olympics witnessed the incredible achievements of South Africa’s golden girl, Tatjana Smith.
With her unstoppable drive and shining personality, Smith won over millions of South African hearts, snagging a gold and silver medal to become South Africa’s greatest-ever Olympian to inspire future generations.
Smith, a 27-year-old breaststroke swimmer, started swimming at age five and began competing at age eight. She joined TuksSport School at 15.
In 2014, at the age of 16 and in 11th grade, Smith clinched a gold medal in the 50m breaststroke at the Africa Youth Games in Botswana. Since then, she has won many national and international swimming competitions.
Before the 2024 Olympics, Smith impressed all with her performances in international competitions. She won multiple gold medals at the World Championships and set new records at the Commonwealth Games, becoming one of the world’s top swimmers.
This year’s Olympics were the grand finale of Smith’s years of dedication, sacrifice, and unshakable belief. Competing in the 100-metre and 200-metre breaststroke events, she dazzled everyone with her speed, technique, and sheer determination.
Drawing inspiration from her heroes, like South African swimming legend Penny Heyns, Smith kept her focus on the ultimate prize and delivered a performance to remember.
In the 100-metre breaststroke, Smith swam like a true champion. Her strong strokes and smooth turns left her competitors behind. She finished first and won a gold medal for South Africa.
The 200-metre breaststroke was just as exciting. She faced tough competition but stayed focused and determined. She won the silver medal, just missing gold, but showed her amazing versatility and endurance.
READ: Tatjana Smith wins silver, confirms retirement from swimming
Smith announced she would hang up her goggles and swim cap after Paris 2024 bowing out as South Africa’s most decorated athlete ever at the Olympics.
“I am just grateful to have the opportunity to end my career in this way. I couldn’t be happier!”
“I’m excited to in the future tell my kids I used to swim there (Olympics). I am just grateful that I can walk away with medals. It is any athlete’s dream.
“Achievements eventually fall away but you want to be remembered for the person you are and what you bring to people”.
“I hope my story inspires one person, and if that happens I’ve reached my goal. It’s never about trying to inspire millions, it’s about inspiring that one person to never disqualify themselves from the race,” Smith told Olympics.com.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end off my career, in a very tough battle.”
— Gagasi FM (@gagasifm) August 2, 2024
After capturing Silver medal in the Women’s 200m Breastroke, Tatjana Smith has announced her retirement from Swimming.#Olympics #ParisOlympics2024 #TeamSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/PIjxnewPJe
Check Smith’s achievements below:
- SwimSwam named her the African Female Swimmer of the Year in 2019 and 2020. She also emerged as the Sportswoman of the Year and Sports Star of the Year at the 2019 South African Sport Award.
- Olympic 200m breaststroke champion at Tokyo 2020, setting a then-world record of 2:18.95 and becoming the fifth South African to win an individual Olympic swimming title (Joan Harrison 1952, Penny Heynes 1996, Cameron van der Burgh 2012, Chad le Clos 2012). Claimed silver in the 100m breaststroke.
- Three-time world championship medallist (2023 – 200m breaststroke gold, 100m breaststroke silver; 2019 – 200m breaststroke silver).
In 2023 became the first female South African swimmer to win a world title.
In 2019 became the first female South African swimmer to win a medal at the world championships. - Four-time Commonwealth Games medallist (three gold, one silver).
- Two-time 2019 World University Games gold medallist (100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke).
Smith’s Olympic success is more than just a tale of athletic achievement; it is a story of resilience, dedication, and the power of dreams. Her story reminds us that with determination and heart, we can all achieve greatness, no matter where we come from or what challenges we face.
