Former Olympic swimmer Tatjana Smith (formerly Schoenmaker) has reflected on the first anniversary of her retirement, insisting she has no desire to ever competitively compete again.
The 28-year-old ended her professional career after a successful stint at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, where she won gold in the 100m and silver in the 200m race.
Tatjana is the wife of sports agent Joel Smith, who is the brother of former Springbok WAG, Rachel Kolisi.
TATJANA SMITH ON SWIMMING: ‘CHAPTER IS CLOSED’
In an Instagram post, Tatjana Smith reflected on the anniversary of her decision to suddenly retire from competitive swimming.
As South Africa’s “golden girl”, the news came as a surprise to the public.
She shared: “It still feels surreal. A journey that began with a dream ended up exceeding every expectation I ever had. Swimming gave me more than medals or records — it shaped who I am. It taught me discipline, resilience, humility, and the power of showing up, again and again.”
Tatjana added that her final race was dedicated to her family, who made many sacrifices to make her dreams come true, and even to her competitors, who helped motivate her.
She continued: “Swimming gave me a stage — but more importantly, it gave me a purpose, a second family, and moments I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.
“The chapter has closed, but the gratitude never will”.
DID MONEY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT?
After retiring, Tatjana Smith revealed that she planned to enjoy quality time with her husband, family, and friends, and discover her new interests.
She’s also been vocal about her mental health challenges, particularly how swimming on a world stage amplified the pressure, and her anxiety, and how she now plans to slow down.
In a new interview with SwimSwam magazine, Tatjana hinted that she was concerned about the sport’s lack of money.
She shared: “In South Africa, we don’t get paid by our federation, so athletes rely on sponsorships. But sponsorships are often based on performance; if you don’t place at the top, there’s little financial support.
“Winning bronze, for example, barely covers expenses. I realized that if I continued swimming, it would be purely for financial reasons, and that’s not why I started. I swam because I loved it and wanted to leave on my terms.”
She added, “I never swam for fame or pressure. I swam because I loved it. And now, as I figure out what comes next, I carry that same passion with me.”
DID TATJANA SMITH MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION IN RETIRING?
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