SA swim star Tatjana Smith scores gold alongside mountain biker Alan Hatherly’s bronze
South Africa’s swimming goddess Tatjana Smith stormed to a first Olympic 100m breaststroke gold medal at the Paris Olympics on Monday evening.
It was also South Africa’s first gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics after mountain biker Alan Hatherly had won a bronze medal earlier in the day in the men’s cross country.
Hatherly, 28 from Durban, joins the Blitzboks as SA’s other bronze medallists and secured the country its first cycling podium finish since the 1956 Olympics.
Smith, who was in tears at the end, bettered her silver medal from the Tokyo Olympics with a time of 1:05.28.
China’s Tang Qianting claimed the silver medal (1:05.54), while Ireland’s Mona McSharry won bronze (1:05.59).
Despite being far back at the halfway point, Smith ‒ formerly Schoenmaker ‒ dug deep into her reserves to speed past Qianting and McSharry over the final 50m.
It is Smith’s second Olympic gold medal ‒ and third overall ‒ after winning the 200m breaststroke final in Tokyo.
🇿🇦🥇 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 🥇 🇿🇦
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 29, 2024
Tatjana Smith take a bow 👏👏👏
Look at what it meant for her and the South Africans in attendance 🥺#Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/GxPEADzS1u
🇿🇦 The South African national anthem at #Paris2024 for the first time 🥺#CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/cyLRs1RvxG
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 29, 2024
The 27-year-old from Pretoria will now prepare for an attempt at a historic double gold when she looks to defend her 200m breaststroke title later this week.
Earlier, South Africa’s Pieter Coetze broke his own African record with a time of 52.58, but unfortunately was not quick enough to get on the podium as he finished in fifth place in the 100m backstroke final.
Italian Thomas Ceccon claimed the gold medal in 52.0 with Chinese swimmer Xu Jiayu taking the silver in 52.39.
American Ryan Murphy bagged the bronze medal in 52.39.
Italy's Thomas Ceccon wins the Men's 100m Backstroke 🇮🇹
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 29, 2024
South Africa's Pieter Coetze finishes 5th 🇿🇦#Paris2024 #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/rjm8RxGfu2
With the good comes the bad and SA gymnast Caitlin Rooskrantz was officially ruled out of the Games yesterday because of a foot injury.
Meanwhile, with training for today’s triathlon being halted for two days because of an increase of pollution levels and the speed of the current in the Seine river, bronze medallist in Rio 2016 Henri Schoeman and Jamie Riddle will look to add to SA’s medal tally at 8am – that’s if the event takes place.
Matthew Sates will also be in action in the men’s 200m butterfly heats at 11.03am, while Paige Badenhorst will be strutting her stuff in the women’s single sculls rowing quarterfinals at 10am.
The men’s hockey team then go in search of their first win of the Games against Germany at 10.30am.
SA gymnast Caitlin Rooskrantz has been forced to withdraw from the all-around competition at the Olympics after suffering an injury to her right foot during the floor exercise on Sunday. It is unclear as yet whether she will play a further part in these Games. pic.twitter.com/nOrO36voKa
— Team South Africa (@OfficialTeamRSA) July 28, 2024