South African swimmer Tatjana Smith switches allegiance to Netherlands

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. 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.