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- Tatjana Smith is first South African to win 2 golds and a silver
- This makes her the most successful SA Olympian of all time
- The breaststroke champion is still to contest her 200m title in Paris
Swimmer Tatjana (Schoenmaker) Smith became South Africa’s most-successful Olympian of all time when she won gold in the 100m women’s breaststroke at Paris 2024 on Monday 29 July.
With two golds and a silver medal, she moves to the top of the SA medals table. At the Olympics, ranking is based on gold medals with silver and bronze used as tie-breakers.
At Tokyo 2020, Smith won gold in the 200m breaststroke and came second in the 100m. She currently holds the Olympic records for both the 100m and 200m. The 27-year-old is still to contest her 200m breaststroke title.
Three other South Africans have achieved double gold: Tennis player Charles Winslow in 1912, adding a bronze four years later; swimmer Penny Heyns in 1996m, with a bronze in 2000; and 800m specialist Caster Semenya, who won in 2012 and 2016. She is South Africa’s only black female medalist.
Note: This chart was updated on 29 July to reflect latest Olympic medals
— 30 July, 2024Subscribe to the weekly newsletter for more charts like this
