By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Tatjana Smith fell inches short of defending her title on Thursday night, but she managed to grab the silver medal in the women’s 200m breaststroke final at the Paris Olympics.
While the 27-year-old South African worked hard to close her down over the final length, she fell narrowly shy, touching the wall in 2:19.60. American Kate Douglass won gold in 2:19.24.
Smith did make history, however, as the first SA woman to secure four career medals at the Games.
She also became the country’s most decorated Olympian of all time. While she equalled the record haul of fellow swimmer Chad le Clos, she holds more gold medals.
Smith reaffirmed her retirement after the final of the 200 breast.
“She has always believed there’s a bigger plan and goal to her life than winning swimming medals. Besides, she got married late last year and will be into her thirties by the time the next Olympics swing into view. “I’m looking forward to my life outside of swimming. “she said in making her announcement.
“It was an amazing battle and I’ve never raced Kate (Douglass) in an Olympic final before. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end my career in a very tough battle. I’ve always loved competing.”
In confirming her retirement, Smith said: “Achievements fall away. You are remembered for who you are and I want to be remembered for bringing people joy. Swimming is a part of a season in your life and now I’m excited to live life.”
Smith first burst onto the major international stage in 2018, winning double breaststroke gold at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast. She claimed silver in the 200 breast at the 2019 World Championships, and then reached new heights in Tokyo by becoming Olympic champion in the 200 and the silver medalist in the 100 breast.
After taking a bit of a hiatus from high-level competition post-Tokyo, resurfacing for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and repeating as the 200 breast champion and winning silver in the 100 breast, she won her first and only world title in the 200 breast at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka.
She also won the World University Games title in the 100 and 200 breast in 2019, and when she won 200-meter gold in Fukuoka, she became the first swimmer since 1992 to hold the Olympic, LC World Championship and World University Games gold medals in the same event.