South African swimmer Tatjana Smith switches allegiance to Netherlands

Die Übersetzung ist noch nicht verfügbar. Der Originalartikel wird angezeigt.

South Africa’s most decorated Olympic athlete, Tatjana Smith, is changing nations to compete for the Netherlands, a decision she acknowledges “may disappoint or break the hearts” of some supporters. “I’ve decided to swim for the Netherlands,” two-time Olympic swimming champion Smith said in a tearful video message on Instagram on Tuesday. “I know that not everyone will understand or agree with my decision,” she said, citing “financial and practical challenges” that can make a swimming career difficult to sustain. 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.