Sport Highlights

SA swim star Tatjana Smith scores gold alongside mountain biker Alan Hatherly’s bronze

Zaahier Adams and Dudley Carstens|Published

South Africa’s Tatjana Smith powered to victory and the gold in the 100m breaststroke at the Paris Olympics last night. | Reuters

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.

Bronze medallist Alan Hatherly of South Africa celebrates on the podium. REUTERS/Matthew Childs

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.

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.

Daily Voice

Related Topics:

tatjana schoenmakerparis olympic gamesswimming