Two-time Olympic champion Tatjana Smith to switch from South Africa to the Netherlands

Smith, formerly Schoenmaker, has two Olympic gold medals, won in the 200 and 100 metres breaststroke at the Tokyo and Paris Games, respectively.

After the 2024 Paris Games, she announced that her career was over, but earlier this fall revealed that she was aiming to return for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Now the star has announced that she will compete for a new country, the Netherlands, of which she is also a citizen.

In an emotional video posted on Instagram, she talks about the decision.

My connection to South Africa will never change. Choosing a new path does not erase the journey that brought me here. It simply gives me the opportunity to write a new chapter, she says.

Smith has previously criticised the South African Swimming Federation for a lack of financial support.