Sports

Tatjana Smith Switches Allegiance To The Netherlands Ahead Of 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

David Naidoo Published 6 seconds ago

5 min read

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South African swimming sensation Tatjana Smith has announced that she will represent the Netherlands in international swimming competitions, bringing an end to her competitive career under the South African flag as she sets her sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

The 29-year-old four-time Olympic medallist confirmed the decision on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, revealing that her change of sporting nationality had been approved by World Aquatics.

Smith, who holds both South African and Dutch citizenship, will now compete for the Netherlands as she enters the next chapter of her swimming career.

The decision follows her return to competitive swimming earlier this year after announcing her retirement following the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

In explaining her decision, Smith said her Dutch heritage had always been part of her identity and that representing the Netherlands would give her an opportunity to explore that connection through sport.

She also pointed to the opportunity to experience a different high-performance sporting environment and access a support structure that would allow her to build a more sustainable swimming career.

Despite the change, Smith confirmed that she would remain based in South Africa and continue training with the team and coaches who have supported her throughout her career.

She will join the Dutch swimming squad for major international competitions and training camps.

Smith’s Four Olympic Medals

Smith leaves behind an extraordinary record representing South Africa at the Olympic Games.

She became one of the country’s most successful Olympic athletes through her performances at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

At the Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021, Smith won gold in the women’s 200m breaststroke, setting a new Olympic record and world record with a time of 2:18.95.

She also secured silver in the women’s 100m breaststroke, giving South Africa two Olympic medals from her performances in the pool.

Three years later, she returned to the Olympic stage in Paris and continued her impressive run.

Smith won gold in the women’s 100m breaststroke and silver in the 200m breaststroke, bringing her Olympic medal tally to four.

Her achievements comprise two gold medals and two silver medals across two Olympic Games.

She is South Africa’s most decorated Olympic athlete, sharing the record of four Olympic medals with fellow swimmer Chad le Clos, who has one gold and three silver medals.

Smith’s success also made her one of the most recognisable figures in South African swimming.

Return From Retirement And LA 2028 Ambitions

Following the Paris 2024 Olympics, Smith announced her retirement from competitive swimming.

However, her retirement proved temporary, with the Olympic champion announcing her return to the sport in 2026.

She returned to competition at the South African Short Course Championships in Pietermaritzburg in September, where she won the women’s 50m breaststroke title in 29.50 seconds.

Her return also came with a renewed focus on the 50m breaststroke, an event that will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The introduction of the event provides Smith with another opportunity to compete for Olympic honours as she works towards a possible third Olympic appearance.

She also competed at Dutch qualifying events in October, winning all three breaststroke events.

Her first international competition representing the Netherlands is scheduled to be the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Beijing, China, from 1 to 6 December 2026.

This will mark her first appearance at an international championship under the Dutch flag.

Background To The Decision And Swimming South Africa Dispute

Smith’s decision comes against the background of previous tensions involving Swimming South Africa (SSA).

One of the major issues involved prize money earned at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, which was withheld by the federation.

Smith subsequently became involved in a legal dispute with Swimming South Africa concerning unpaid interest on the prize money.

The dispute brought attention to the financial and administrative challenges experienced by professional swimmers competing for South Africa.

Smith has also previously spoken about the financial pressures associated with maintaining a competitive swimming career.

In discussing the broader circumstances surrounding her decision, she highlighted the importance of having a sporting environment that allows athletes to develop and succeed without facing unnecessary financial and practical difficulties.

She has also expressed the belief that South Africa can learn from other countries’ sporting systems.

Her decision to represent the Netherlands therefore provides an opportunity to experience a different high-performance environment while maintaining her connection to South African sport.

Smith Says Her Connection To South Africa Will Remain

Despite the change in sporting nationality, Smith has made it clear that she remains proud of her achievements representing South Africa.

In her announcement, she reflected on the significance of fulfilling her childhood dream of competing at the Olympic Games and winning four medals for her country.

She also expressed gratitude to the South African swimming community, her coaches, teammates and supporters who contributed to her journey.

Smith explained that representing another country would not erase the achievements, memories or pride associated with her time competing for South Africa.

Alongside her swimming career, she will continue her involvement in South African sport through the Lighthouse Sport Foundation, which supports South African athletes and aims to create opportunities for people to participate in sport.

Her move to the Netherlands represents a new direction in her international career, but she will continue living and training in the country where she established herself as one of the greatest swimmers in South African history.

With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics approaching, Smith will now prepare for the next stage of her career under the Dutch flag, with the possibility of adding to her four Olympic medals.