Tatjana Smith Selected As Swimming World African Female Swimmer of the Year
Rare are athletes who walk away from their sport at the peak of their powers. Frequently, retirement calls when an athlete – regardless of sport – competes at a percentage of the excellence they once knew. Then again, there are anomalies and South Africa’s Tatjana Smith can be counted as one.
For the fifth time in her stellar career, Smith (nee Schoenmaker) has been named Swimming World African Female Swimmer of the Year. Smith earned her latest nod in unanimous fashion, and thanks to a performance at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris that placed the perfect bow on her career.
Smith headed into the Olympics aware that the meet would mark her final appearance on her sport’s grand stage. Obviously, she wanted her farewell to be epic, as was her appearance at her previous Olympics. In Tokyo in 2021, Smith was the gold medalist in the 200 breaststroke and the silver medalist in the 100 breaststroke.
This time around, Smith reversed those finishes while again making a pair of visits to the podium. She opened her Paris program by registering a come-from-behind triumph in the 100 breaststroke. Tied for fourth at the midway point of the race, Smith relied on her experience and closing prowess to overhaul the field and touch for gold in 1:05.28, a swim that was .26 quicker than the 1:05.54 of China’s Tang Qianting.
In the 200 breaststroke, Smith engaged in a sterling showdown with the United States’ Kate Douglass. From the start, Smith and Douglass battled stroke for stroke, until Douglass emerged as the victor in 2:19.24, with Smith just behind in 2:19.60. That silver medal enabled Smith to go 4-for-4 in medal opportunities between the Tokyo and Paris Games.
It was also a pleasing way to cap her competitive career.
“It’s 22 years that I’ve been swimming, and it’s been a big part of my family’s life and everything,” Smith said in Paris. “My family and everyone knows that it was my last one, just to enjoy that moment together. It was a lot of sacrifice that came from everyone, that our lives had to be put aside for Tatjana’s swimming. So I think we’re all excited to just have a family time without swimming in the back of our minds…
“To end off my career with a big fight was so worth it,” Smith said. “And I’m so grateful that I still get to walk away with a medal and leaving my career walking from the Olympics with two medals and a double Olympian. I couldn’t complain.”
African Female Swimmer of the Year
- Tatjana Smith (South Africa)
- Kaylene Corbett (South Africa)
- Rebecca Meder (South Africa)
- Aimee Canny (South Africa)
- Erin Gallagher (South Africa)