By Retta Race on SwimSwam
2026 SOUTH AFRICAN SC CHAMPIONSHIPS
September 24th – September 27th G.C. Jolliffe Swimming Pool, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa SCM (25m) Meet CentralEarlier this month we reported how former World Record holder and Olympic multi-gold medalist Tatjana Smith (nee Schoenmaker) was surprisingly entered in the 2026 South African Short Course Championships beginning on September 24th.
With the competition on the horizon and Short Course World Championships roster slots on the line, several of Smith’s teammates have sounded off on their anticipation of racing alongside the 29-year-old icon after a two-year absence.
Recent Pan Pacific Championships medalist Michael Houlie stated, “There’s a lot that I can say about Tatjana that we already know. She’s a phenomenal swimmer, but more importantly, she looks like a happy swimmer right now. And that could be dangerous for everyone else, so the world better watch out.
“She has absolutely nothing left to prove, which means she has the opportunity to race completely free and just enjoy swimming again. We were national teammates for so many years, so on a personal level, it’s just really great to have her back.”
Regarding is own personal ambitions at the competition, Houlie continued, “Short course metres is a different type of racing, and we’re still in the early stages of preparing for Worlds in December. So with the increased frequency of walls, pullouts, transitions, there’s a different rhythm to it… and sometimes it takes a little time for everything to click.
“I also really enjoy racing while under training load because it gives honest feedback about where I’m at. So, for Pietermaritzburg, I’m looking for great feedback, information that I can take from the racing and use it to sharpen and refine my process heading toward the World Championships in December.”
Another of Smith’s Olympic teammates, Dune Coetzee, expressed her anticipation of the star’s return, “I think it is amazing that she is coming back. She is the best there is and such a huge inspiration to me. I’m really excited to see her race again and to learn from her.”
Head of High Performance at Swimming South Africa Dean Price echoed the excitement, saying, “We’re very excited that Tatjana is coming back to swimming. We know Tatjana is an excellent racer, so you can really count on her in a big event. I think she’ll be a huge addition to our team, and I think not only in the individual, but I think she can be of great value in the relays as well… We look forward to her competing in her first event, and we feel very confident that she’s going to do very well.”
Smith hung up her goggles at the age of 27 after becoming South Africa’s most decorated Olympic athlete in history. She earned 200m breast gold and 100m breast silver at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, followed by 100m breast gold and 200m breast silver three years later at the 2024 Games in Paris.
We previously reported how the veteran has been in the news recently, voicing her frustrations with Swimming South Africa (SSA), including sending a letter to the organization regarding the withholding of prize money in 2023.
She recently discussed that situation, along with training conditions within her native country, and the announcement that she launched an ‘athlete watchdog’-type organization called Lighthouse Sports Foundation.
We’ve reached out to Smith to obtain more details on her expected appearance at these SC Championships.
While the likes of Pieter Coetze, Matt Sates, Chad le Clos and Aimee Canny are absent from the psych sheets, additional entries include Chris Smith, Michael Houlie, Georgia Nel and Hannah Pearse.
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