Messages of congratulations are streaming in for our repeat Olympic champion Tatjana Smith, who earned South Africa’s first gold medal at the Paris Olympics last night, with a stunning surge in the 100m breaststroke in the Paris La Defense Arena pool.
It looked like she was just going to miss out, but at the last few metres picked off her opponents one by one to storm past them and touch the wall first.
🇿🇦🥇 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 🥇 🇿🇦
Tatjana Smith take a bow 👏👏👏
Look at what it meant for her and the South Africans in attendance 🥺#Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/GxPEADzS1u
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 29, 2024
President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated Smith for her back-to-back gold in an Olympics.
Smith also won gold in the 200m breaststroke at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Tatjana’s Olympics tally now stands at three, with two golds and a silver. One more will see her equal Chad le Clos on four, the most of any South African Olympian.
Later this week, Tatjana will get her chance to match le Clos, when she takes to the pool in the 200m. She is the reigning champion in the 200m.
READ: Tatjana Schoenmaker is our new world record holder in the women’s 200m breaststroke!
Smith says she swam for her country, but also for everyone who has been there for her:
”Like I said last night, for me the emotions were really because it took a village to get me to where I am. I know they would have been proud even if I didn’t have a medal. But it was really for them; I swam for everyone that’s been there for me and believed with me.”
“I swam for everyone that’s been there for me, that’s believed with me, for our country as well.” 🥺
🇿🇦 Tatjana Smith reflects on her Olympic Gold 👇#Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/httAs7coTY
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 29, 2024
Tatjana Smith shows off her shirt displaying the names of people who have played a role in her swimming career. They were her motivation for the gold medal hanging on her right shoulder. pic.twitter.com/RlmaEPCJV4
— David Isaacson (@David_Isaacson) July 29, 2024
No DNA, just RSA.🥇 The amount of pride hearing our national anthem and our flag flying higher than the others during Tatjana Smith's Olympic victory ceremony, is unmatched.🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/LOBjj2Ion7
— Mbaliyezwe Ndlela🇿🇦 (@mbali_ndlela) July 29, 2024
Ramaphosa has also congratulated mountain biker Alan Hatherly for collecting bronze and the Springboks on their bronze winning performance over the weekend.
The President says he looks forward to more spectacular performances.
RELATED: ‘It’s been a dream since I was a kid’ – Hatherly
