SHE is “embracing” her change in surname, but South African fans will hope that it’s the very same Tatjana Smith from three years ago at the Paris Olympics pool.
She was still a Schoenmaker in Tokyo in 2021 when she rocked the sporting fraternity by producing a stunning swim to win the 200m breaststroke gold medal in a new world record time of 2:18.95.
Now she will leap into the pool at the La Defense Arena in Paris today as a married woman, having tied the knot with Joel Smith – the brother-in-law of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi – last November.
“I am still getting used to seeing a very short surname on my caps,” Smith said via a Team SA video this week.
“But I am just embracing it, and I love that part of life. It just makes you realise that swimming is only a season, and there are different seasons. I am already enjoying the other season, with my swimming, which means... that it’s also a cool season in this season.
“I am enjoying it, and I am excited to race for the first time at an Olympics as a Smith.”
But the fact that she and her coach Rocco Meiring have stuck to the intense training schedule that won her the 200m breaststroke gold and 100m breaststroke silver in Tokyo should give SA fans real hope that Smith can repeat her success from three years ago in Paris.
Meiring told Independent Newspapers in a recent interview that he admired the way Smith had persevered in getting in the best possible preparation for Paris, having battled with a leg injury that affects her kick.
But Meiring – who will be part of the Team SA swimming management team at the Olympics – was not getting carried away with the possibilities for his star athlete in the French capital.
“With regards to expectations, I don’t entertain the expectations thing, because how would we know how she will do? Nobody knows,” Meiring said.
Smith – who turned 27 earlier this month – felt that she was as ready as she could be, and she will begin her journey in Paris in the 100m breaststroke heats today, which start at 11.27am – with the South African competing in heat four. The semi-finals kick-off at 9.10pm tonight, and the final is scheduled for tomorrow at 9.25pm.
“Swimming is a very technical sport, so it’s those small margins that count. So, I don’t think physically … we can’t do much more, but it’s working on those small, little things,” she said.
“In those times, it’s character-building. The only thing that’s different is that you are growing as a person, and you are changing …
“I am getting older as well! That was a massive difference! Otherwise, it’s just the same.”
Then it’s onto the 200m breaststroke for Smith – where she will be joined by teammate Kaylene Corbett – with the heats and semi-finals next Wednesday and the final on Thursday (9.04pm).
Corbett will hope to build on her bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, while she also finished fifth at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Erin Gallagher (100m butterfly) was the first South African in action in swimming yesterday, and she finished sixth in her heat in 57.80 seconds to qualify 13th fastest for last night’s semi-finals.
Gallagher then just missed out on the final, ending seventh in 57.90.
“The South African team, you can never rule Chad (le Clos) out. Chad is our most experienced swimmer,” Meiring said about SA’s chances in the pool.
“The rest are new. Tatjana has been on the podium before, but the others are all dark horses.
“Tatjana’s four teammates have worked very hard, just like her. There’s absolutely no room for entitlement or slack or whatever, and it’s not that they ever ask for it.
“It’s a very disciplined group that have done everything they could. Matt Sates, Pieter Coetzé, Kaylene Corbett and Erin Gallagher are the ones that come from Pretoria.
“Kaylene has been going very hard. She had to finish her practicals and her studies last year, and she’s doing post-grad this year.
“Erin is studying BSc, Pieter Coetzé had to finish matric last year, so they are not professional swimmers. They are swimmers who are trying to compete with professionals.
“Chad prepared in Germany, and Aimee Canny I hear is looking very good, and she’s in the US. Rebecca Meder is in New Zealand, and I hear that she is also looking very good – although I haven’t seen them (before the Olympics).”
The 32-year-old Le Clos is South Africa’s most decorated Olympian with four medals (one gold in 200m butterfly at London 2012, three silver: 100m butterfly at London 2012 and Rio 2016, 200m freestyle at Rio 2016), and will hope to do the ‘impossible’ and secure another podium finish in Paris in the 100m butterfly, with the heats on August 2.
“I’m the third oldest male swimmer at these Games, so in those terms, I’m something of a pensioner. And in spite of picking up a shoulder tear in training, I’ve come to Paris believing I have a chance. I’ve raced with injuries before,” Le Clos told the Team SA website this week.
“I think that the semi-final will be the harder race, because there will be 16 swimmers going for a place in the final. I’m hoping to get there and once I do I’ll be chasing another dream. I’m a warrior, a born racer.
“I’ve had an injury the last two weeks. I went to the medical team as soon as I arrived from Montpellier and had it checked out. The first thing I did after that was head for the dining hall!
“I’m here to enjoy the experience, even if I don’t think it’s my last, and give of my best.”
SA Aquatics Team
Men: Pieter Coetzé (100m, 200m backstroke), Chad le Clos (100m butterfly), Matthew Sates (100m, 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley)
Women: Aimee Canny (200m freestyle), Kaylene Corbett (200m breaststroke), Erin Gallagher (100m butterfly), Rebecca Meder (200m individual medley), Tatjana Smith (100m, 200m breaststroke), Julia Vincent (diving, 3m springboard)
Management: Rocco Meiring, Chanelle van Wyk, Dean Price, Mafata Modutoane