Olympic champion Tatjana Smith switches from South Africa to swim for the Netherlands

A switch of allegiance

Tatjana Smith, South Africa's most decorated Olympian, will compete for the Netherlands, the Dutch swimming federation KNZB reported. Born Tatjana Schoenmaker, the 29-year-old breaststroke swimmer holds both South African and Dutch passports and announced the change on social media. She is due to make her Dutch debut at the short-course world championships in Beijing, held from 1 to 6 December. Smith has four Olympic medals: gold in the 200 metres breaststroke at Tokyo 2021, and gold in the 100 metres at Paris 2024, where she also took silver in the 200 metres. Her switch follows a comeback she announced in September, about two years after she had described her career as complete.

Her explanation

In a tearful video message on Instagram, Smith acknowledged that the decision could disappoint some supporters, and she pointed to money and support as the deciding factors.

“The reality is that this opportunity also offers greater high-performance support and the potential to build a more sustainable career.”

In remarks reported by NOS, she said athletes in South Africa receive no financial support from the state and must find their own sponsors, and that the strain left her physically and mentally burned out by 2024. She said the Netherlands puts the athlete at the centre and gives her room to rediscover her Dutch side.

Criticism and her roots

The Daily Maverick, cited by ANSA, links the decision to earlier difficulties with Swimming South Africa. It points to disputes over prize money not paid to athletes and argues that Smith was pushed out of the system. Smith said her bond with South Africa remains unchanged and that she is proud of her South African background. Her father, from Naaldwijk, emigrated to South Africa in 1989, and her parents have lived in the Netherlands again since 2021. She added:

“I chose South Africa at the beginning of my career because I wanted to prove what was possible, even when the system didn't make it easy.”

The road back to racing

After retiring following Paris 2024, Smith returned at the South African short-course championships at the end of September, where she won the 50 metres breaststroke. About a month later, at the Dutch Qualifiers in Rotterdam, she won all three breaststroke events. The Dutch federation KNZB said it appears better for her high-performance training to compete for the Netherlands in the period ahead.

Gold2

Silver2

Gold

2

Silver

2

Data from the article text

What comes next

Smith's Dutch debut is scheduled for the short-course world championships in Beijing, which run from 1 to 6 December. She has said she will continue training in South Africa while racing for the Netherlands. Her stated target is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which she will now contest under the Dutch flag.