South African Four-Time Olympic Medallist Tatjana Smith Switches Allegiance To The Netherlands Ahead Of LA 2028
South African swimming star and four-time Olympic medallist Tatjana Smith has announced that she will represent the Netherlands in international competitions, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The 29-year-old confirmed the decision in a social media statement today, Tuesday, 10 November 2026, saying the move would allow her to explore her Dutch heritage while benefiting from a different high-performance environment.
Smith, who holds both South African and Dutch citizenship, has had her change of sporting nationality approved by World Aquatics.
She won gold in the 200m breaststroke and silver in the 100m at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics before claiming gold in the 100m and silver in the 200m at Paris 2024.
Her four Olympic medals make her one of South Africa’s most decorated Olympians, alongside swimmer Chad le Clos, who also has four medals.
After retiring following the Paris Games, Smith returned to competitive swimming in September 2026, focusing on the 50m breaststroke, which will feature at the 2028 Olympics.
Her first competition representing the Netherlands is expected to be the World Aquatics Swimming Championships in Beijing from 1 to 6 December 2026.
Despite the switch, Smith will remain based in South Africa and continue training with her existing team, joining the Dutch squad for major competitions and training camps.
The decision follows tensions with Swimming South Africa (SSA), including a dispute over prize money earned at the 2023 World Championships. Smith has also previously spoken about the financial pressures facing South African swimmers.
In her statement, she emphasised that her decision did not diminish her achievements or pride in representing South Africa.
“Choosing this path doesn’t take away from the first. It doesn’t diminish the medals I’ve won, the pride I’ve felt singing the South African national anthem or everything I’ve achieved,” she said.
Smith added that she would always be grateful to the South African swimming community, her coaches and supporters.
