Four-time Olympic medallist Tatjana Smith has announced that she will represent the Netherlands in the next chapter of her international swimming career, following confirmation from World Aquatics of her change of sport nationality.
Smith holds both South African and Dutch citizenship. A statement released on Tuesday stated that her decision reflects a personal connection to the Netherlands and an opportunity to explore a new direction in her sporting career as she sets her sights on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
“Representing South Africa at the Olympic Games was my biggest childhood dream. To have lived that dream and won four Olympic medals is something I will always treasure,” said Smith. “Both South Africa and the Netherlands have always been part of who I am. I am deeply grateful to the South African swimming community, all my coaches, and to every South African who cheered me on. That gratitude will never change.”
Smith won gold in the 200m breaststroke in a world-record time and silver in the 100m breaststroke at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, before adding gold in the 100m breaststroke and silver in the 200m breaststroke at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The statement said: "Her return to competition has been driven by a renewed love of swimming and a desire to discover what more she can achieve. Representing the Netherlands offers Smith the opportunity to explore her Dutch roots through sport and experience a different approach to high-performance training. The support structure available will allow her to dedicate herself fully to her performance and build a more sustainable swimming career."
The introduction of the 50m breaststroke at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games provides a new competitive goal as she works towards returning to the Olympic stage.
Smith plans to join the Dutch team at international competitions and training camps, bringing with her the experience and knowledge gained throughout her career with her South African coaches and teammates, while embracing the opportunity to learn from a different high-performance environment. She will remain based in South Africa, continuing to train with the team that has been part of her journey.
Alongside her swimming career, Smith will continue her involvement in South African sport through the Lighthouse Sport Foundation, supporting South African athletes and helping create opportunities for more people to experience what sport can offer.
“My swimming career might be taking a different direction, but my connection to South Africa never will. Choosing a new path doesn’t erase the journey that brought me here. It simply gives me the opportunity to write a new chapter,” said Smith.
Smith has formally notified Swimming South Africa and the Royal Dutch Swimming Federation of her decision. Her first competition representing the Netherlands will be the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Beijing, China, from 1 to 6 December 2026.