SA’S GOLDEN GODDESS

Zaahier Adams

South Africa’s swimming goddess Tatjana Smith stormed to a first Olympic 100m breaststroke gold medal at the Paris Olympics yesterday 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 to go along with the Blitzboks bronze medal in the rugby sevens.

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.

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.