{"id":15367,"date":"2026-11-11T06:36:46","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T06:36:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=15367"},"modified":"2026-11-11T06:36:46","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T06:36:46","slug":"south-african-swimmer-tatjana-smith-switches-allegiance-to-netherlands-olympics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=15367","title":{"rendered":"South African swimmer Tatjana Smith switches allegiance to Netherlands | Olympics"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Double Olympic gold medallist cites \u2018financial and practical challenges\u2019 of swimming.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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By <\/span>Reuters and The Associated Press<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Published On 11 Nov 2026<\/span>11 Nov 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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South Africa\u2019s most decorated Olympic athlete, Tatjana Smith, is changing nations to compete for the Netherlands, a decision she acknowledges \u201cmay disappoint or break the hearts\u201d of some supporters.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve decided to swim for the Netherlands,\u201d two-time Olympic swimming champion Smith said in a tearful video message on Instagram on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that not everyone will understand or agree with my decision,\u201d she said, citing \u201cfinancial and practical challenges\u201d that can make a swimming career difficult to sustain.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

She also took two silvers, in the 100-metre breaststroke at Tokyo and the 200-metre breaststroke in Paris, to become South Africa\u2019s most successful Olympic athlete.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo South Africa, when I was a little girl, my biggest dream was to represent my country at the Olympics,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got to live that dream, and it gave me more than I could have ever imagined.\u201d<\/p>\n

She holds dual citizenship with the Netherlands.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth countries are a part of who I am,\u201d the 29-year-old Smith said. \u201cBut dreams can change as you grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

She retired from competitive swimming after Paris and announced a comeback two months ago, targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics \u2013 now in Dutch orange instead of South African green and gold.<\/p>\n

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Tatjana Smith competed in the women\u2019s 100- and 200-metre breaststroke finals at the 2024 Paris Olympics [File: Rob Schumache\/Reuters]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis gives me the opportunity to explore another part of my identity and the heritage \u2060\u2060that I\u2019ve never experienced through sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe opportunity \u2060\u2060also offers greater high performance support and the potential to build a more sustainable career.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith added that athletes need a system in which they can thrive and not just survive, suggesting she would have \u201cgreater high performance support\u201d in future. She said she would continue training in South Africa.<\/p>\n

Fellow South African swimmer Chad le Clos also has four medals although just one gold.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Double Olympic gold medallist cites \u2018financial and practical challenges\u2019 of swimming. By Reuters and The Associated Press Published On 11 Nov 202611 Nov 2026 South Africa\u2019s most decorated Olympic athlete, Tatjana Smith, is changing nations to compete for the Netherlands, a decision she acknowledges \u201cmay disappoint or break the hearts\u201d of some supporters. \u201cI\u2019ve decided…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15368,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-international-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t