Tatjana Smith (Schoenmaker) followed up her 2020 Olympic gold medal in the women’s 200m breaststroke and silver in the 100m breaststroke, by claiming gold in the women’s 100m breaststroke on Monday evening at La Defense Arena to secure the first gold medal for South Africa at the Paris Olympic Games.

Recently married, Smith came into this Olympics as one of South Africa’s most successful Olympians, but she expectedly started slowly, finishing the first 50m in fourth place. Still, a perfect turn and stunning second 50m saw her in the lead into the final few meters.

Smith timed her final touch on the wall to perfection to claim the win in a time of 1:05.28, ahead of  Republic of China swimmer Tang Qianting, who finished 0.26 seconds behind the South African. Mona McSharry of Ireland took bronze, her country’s first swimming medal since 1996 in the Atlanta Games.

Smith’s finishing time was short of her own Olympic record of 1:04.82 set at the Tokyo Games in 2020.

“It’s learning how to deal with that pressure, so it’s really been through the years how I’ve learned that, and I think with my new surname, the pressure is off. There’s no more Schoenmaker. Everything came with Schoenmaker, so it really just feels like I can swim freely. I don’t have the pressure of Schoenmaker on me. I’m new and a different person,” said Smith on Sunday night after the semifinals.

Smith is South Africa’s most successful double gold medallist, as she has two gold medals as well as a silver medal. Her compatriots Penny Heyns and tennis player Charles Winslow both ended their Olympic careers with two gold medals and a bronze.

If Smith can claim gold on Thursday in the 200m breaststroke she will become South Africa’s most decorated Olympian… and in her favour is the fact that she is the defending Olympic champion in the 200m breaststroke.

• Pieter Coetze took 5th place in the Men’s 100m backstroke final on Monday night.