South African swimmer Tatjana Smith switches allegiance to Netherlands

Résumé détaillé

Double Olympic gold medallist cites 'financial and practical challenges' of swimming.

South Africa’s most decorated Olympic athlete, Tatjana Smith, is changing nations to compete for the Netherlands, a decision she acknowledges “may disappoint or break the hearts” of some supporters.

“I’ve decided to swim for the Netherlands,” two-time Olympic swimming champion Smith said in a tearful video message on Instagram on Tuesday.

“I know that not everyone will understand or agree with my decision,” she said, citing “financial and practical challenges” that can make a swimming career difficult to sustain.

Smith won the 100-metre breaststroke gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and, as Tatjana Schoenmaker, the 200-metre breaststroke at the Tokyo Games held in 2021.

She also took two silvers, in the 100-metre breaststroke at Tokyo and the 200-metre breaststroke in Paris, to become South Africa’s most successful Olympic athlete.

“To South Africa, when I was a little girl, my biggest dream was to represent my country at the Olympics,” Smith said.

“I got to live that dream, and it gave me more than I could have ever imagined.”

“Both countries are a part of who I am,” the 29-year-old Smith said. “But dreams can change as you grow.”

She retired from competitive swimming after Paris and announced a comeback two months ago, targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics – now in Dutch orange instead of South African green and gold.

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