Tatjana Smith wins the 100m breaststroke, nabs South Africa’s first gold

Pieter Coetzé of South Africa during the men’s 100m backstroke final on day three of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at Paris La Défence Arena on 29 July 2024. (Photo: Anton Geyser / Gallo Images)

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

30 Jul 2024

Breaststroke queen Tatjana Smith claimed South Africa’s first gold medal at the Paris 2024 Games after a speedy finish in the 100m event.

Tatjana Smith (nee Schoenmaker) secured South Africa’s first gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after coming from behind to take first place in the 100m breaststroke event on Monday evening.

The double gold dream is now on with Smith set to compete in her more favoured event, the 200m breaststroke.

tatjana smith gold 100m breaststroke Tatjana Smith of Team South Africa competes in the women’s 100m breaststroke final on day three of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Défense Arena on 29 July 2024. (Photo: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)

tatjana smith gold 100m breaststroke Tatjana Smith of Team South Africa could barely look up from the water after touching the wall before realising she had won. (Photo: EPA-EFE / Anna Szilagayi)

tatjana smith gold 100m breaststroke Tatjana Smith of South Africa celebrates winning the women’s 100m breaststroke final on day three of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Défense Arena on 29 July 2024. (Photo: EPA-EFE / Anna Szilagy)

It’s Smith’s first Olympic gold medal in the event after narrowly missing first place in Tokyo three years ago when she left with silver around her neck.

Smith came into the final as the favourite, having swum identical heat and semifinal times of 1:05.00, faster than any of her adversaries.

Her time in the final was a slower 1:05.28 which was only just quick enough for victory.

The final in the La Défense Arena in the French capital was less than straightforward for the breaststroke queen. She was slow out of the blocks and was fourth at the halfway stage.

However, Smith, who is a 200m breaststroke specialist, found her groove in the final 25 metres when it looked like she might miss out on a medal altogether.

China’s Tang Qianting led from the get-go and at one stage held a one-metre lead while Mona McSharry from Ireland proved a valiant opponent next to Smith.

However, it was all Smith in the final few metres as she ate up the distance between her and the two women in front of her when it seemed like there was not enough pool to make up the distance.

tatjana smith gold 100m breaststroke Gold medallist Tatjana Smith of Team South Africa (centre), silver medallist Tang Qianting of Team People’s Republic of China (left) and Bronze medallist Mona McSharry of Team Republic of Ireland (right) pose for a selfie on the podium. (Photo: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)

But catch up she did with a sublimely timed lunge for the wall as she took the win, 0.26 ahead of Tang who took the silver medal. McSharry closed out the podium in 1:05.59.

Smith’s reaction to the victory was characteristically emotional. She could barely look up from the water after touching the wall before realising she had won.

“I don’t think anyone can explain it. It took a village to get me to where I am today,” Smith said after her race. “I know they would have been proud even if I didn’t have a medal.

“I swam for everyone that believed in me and for the country as well.

“Our team hashtag is “for my country” and it really is. We just want to inspire somebody at home to know that they don’t have to disqualify themselves from any race, and that they can also potentially be an Olympic champion.

“There is always something to learn out of every race. I wanted to focus on my own race and really just did that. Even if I didn’t get a medal I would’ve been happy because there are things that you want to do based on your plan.

“I gave it my best and I’m so grateful I’m walking away with the gold medal.

“It is challenging having the morning off and then coming back for the final, so it’s really about getting the recovery right.

“In a final, if you have a lane, you have a chance and we were all really fighting. I just tried to enjoy the race. In the heats and semis I really go for good times so that when I get to the final I know I can do it, enjoy it and take in the experience and not have to stress about times.

“I didn’t focus on anyone else. I knew that to do well I had to be the best version of myself and focus on my own race. I’m grateful that my hands touched the wall first.”

Smith still has the 200m breaststroke to go which, historically, has been her stronger event.

If Smith does medal in the 200m breaststroke she will become South Africa’s most decorated Olympian, tied with Chad le Clos with four Olympic medals.

Coetzé’s best not enough

Pieter Coetzé of South Africa starts the men’s 100m backstroke final on day three of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at Paris La Défence Arena on 29 July 2024. (Photo: Anton Geyser / Gallo Images)

A few minutes earlier, compatriot Pieter Coetzé was a few milliseconds short of a first Olympic medal in the 100m backstroke.

Coetzé finished fifth in 52.58 seconds in a new African record in the final, surpassing the 52.63 he set in the semifinal last night. But it was not enough to get on the podium as Italian world record holder in the event, Thomas Ceccon, grabbed gold in 52.00.

China’s Xu Jiayu was second in 52.32 while the US’s Ryan Murphy closed out the podium in 52.39.

Greek swimmer Apostolos Christou took the unlucky fourth place in 52.41.

Despite the record swim by Coetzé, he could have gone faster with a better start as he was the last swimmer off the blocks.

The 20-year-old was playing catchup in the second half of the race and did well to pass France’s Yohann Ndoye-Brouard in the final push for the finish. DM

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Coetzé’s best not enough