Double Olympic Champion Tatjana Smith Switches Allegiance to the Netherlands

South African swimmer Tatjana Smith has announced her decision to switch her sporting allegiance to the Netherlands. The 29-year-old double Olympic champion, who retired after the Paris Games before deciding on a comeback, intends to compete for the Dutch team at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

In a video statement published on Instagram, Smith explained that the move was driven by financial and practical challenges in maintaining a professional swimming career. The athlete holds dual citizenship with both South Africa and the Netherlands. She stated that the change in national representation offers her access to enhanced high-performance support and a more sustainable long-term framework, while allowing her to explore her Dutch heritage through elite sport.

Smith is South Africa's most successful Olympic athlete, having accumulated four medals across two Games. Competing under her maiden name, Tatjana Schoenmaker, she won gold in the 200-metre breaststroke and silver in the 100-metre breaststroke at the Tokyo Games in 2021. She added a second gold medal in the 100-metre breaststroke and a silver in the 200-metre breaststroke at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Her four-medal tally matches swimmer Chad le Clos as South Africa's most decorated Olympian, though Smith holds two gold medals compared to le Clos's single gold title. Following her retirement after the Paris competition, Smith reversed her decision two months ago to begin preparations for Los Angeles. Despite changing her national federation affiliation, she confirmed that she plans to remain based in South Africa for her training.

Written by Christiane Hofreiter christiane.hofreiter@alpineweekly.com