South Africa's most decorated Olympian is back in the pool

Sept 25 : South Africa's most decorated Olympian Tatjana Smith has made a successful return to the pool after reversing her 2024 decision to retire as she targets the 50-metre breaststroke at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in two years' time.

Smith, who raced previously under the surname Schoenmaker before getting married, retired aged 27 having collected Olympic gold in the 200m and 100m breaststroke, and a pair of silver medals in those events across the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Games.

She is now targeting the new 50m race that has been added to the summer Olympics schedule and set a personal best time of 29.50 seconds at the South African Short Course Championships on her competitive return to the pool.

"It is a very new race for me, it feels nice to be swimming just two laps and I am really happy with the PB (personal best)," Smith told ENCA.

"I am excited, I am embracing the new challenge and coming back on my own terms. I am so happy I fell in love with the sport again."

Smith explained her reasons for retirement and why she has chosen to return in a statement.

"When I announced my retirement from swimming, I genuinely believed that chapter of my life was over," she said. "With some distance, I realised that stepping away had been the right decision for me at that time.

"I had always believed that swimming was something I did, not who I was. Stepping away proved that to me. I discovered that I could have a full life beyond the pool and still choose to swim.

"I am coming back because I want to. This time, the decision is mine."

Smith was recently embroiled in a dispute with Swimming South Africa (SSA) over interest on prize money she alleges was withheld for more than a year by the organisation.

She claimed US$35,000 in prize money from the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, was held back from her for 12 months and when eventually paid, did not include interest.

After a letter of demand, SSA said earlier this month that it would pay Smith the interest that had accrued, according to her attorney Wian Spies.