Swimming sensation Tatjana Schoenmaker did not only set a new Olympic world record but won South Africa’s first gold medal as she dominated the women’s 200m breaststroke final on Friday, July 30.
The 24-year-old, Schoenmaker rewrote history as she became the first SA swimmer to bag gold since Penny Heyns at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, News 24 reported.
? CONGRATULATIONS Tatjana Schoenmaker!!!! NEW WORLD RECORD in the Women’s 200m Breaststroke Final!!!
???#TokyoOlympics #TatjanaSchoenmakerKonnichiwa #Tokyo2020
#TeamSA #Swimming pic.twitter.com/aOVOxOAGg6— SportsGuy Neo Thokoa (@sportsGuyNeo) July 30, 2021
According to Team SA, the previous world record of 2:19.11 had been set by Denmark’s Ricke Moller Pedersen in Barcelona almost eight years ago to the day, however, Schoenmaker carved 0.16 sec off that time.
WORLD RECORD!!!! Tatjana Schoenmaker wins the Olympic 200m breaststroke gold medal in a WR 2:18.95. Kaylene Corbett finished 5th in 2:22.06#TeamSA #Tokyo2020
— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2020) July 30, 2021
Schoenmaker’s win takes SA’s medal tally to three after she won silver in the women’s 100m breaststroke. South African surfer Bianca Buitendag also won a silver medal on Tuesday, July 27.
Twitter’s reactions to Schoenmaker’s victory:
SHE HAS ONLY GONE AND DONE IT. WORLD RECORD! AMAZING SWIM! SO SO PROUD OF THIS GIRL. AND HER REACTION WHEN SHE SAW HER TIME WAS PRICELESS. SO PROUD TO BE SOUTH AFRICAN ?❤️#Olympics #Tokyo2020
— Talha #FreePalestine ?? (@talha_27c) July 30, 2021
Lucky the neighbors could not hear me yelling at the telly?that was just spectacular… Congratulations!!!!
— Val van der Vyver (@arriemorrie) July 30, 2021
IT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE WINTER! MY WORD THAT WAS AMAZING! HISTORY MADE AND WRITTEN BEFORE MY VERY EYES!
YOU LADIES WERE AMAZING! FIRST GOLD AND WHAT A WAY TO DO IT! SO SO PROUD!— Unicorn Gundam Pilot (@d4shil) July 30, 2021
WORLD RECORD!!!! Tatjana Schoenmaker wins the Olympic 200m breaststroke gold medal in a WR 2:18.95.
Congratulations
she?s crying my heart melted. We proud #TatjanaSchoenmaker #TeamSA #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/YWZRWEciwL
— Tshepo Omokri (@OmokriTshepo) July 30, 2021
Outstanding work and perfectly done by Tatjana. I still have cold sweat after watching this final. Gold plated❤???.#TeamSA #Olympics #Tokyo2020 #Swimming
— Gabonewe Setshedi (@Gabojust) July 30, 2021
Meanwhile, it was a disappointing day for South Africa’s Chad le Clos on Thursday, July 29, after finishing sixth in the men’s 100m butterfly heats.
Men’s 100m butterfly, heats:
Chad le Clos finished 6th in his heat in 51.89sec. That placed him 18th overall and he missed out on a place in Friday’s semi-finals. Matthew Sates was placed 32nd overall in 52.34. The top 16 qualified for the semi-finals#TeamSA #Tokyo2020— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2020) July 29, 2021
Picture: Twitter/@TeamSA2020