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 Central SwimSwam Preview Results: Meet Mobile – SASC Swimming Champs (25m) PMBG 25While many of the nation’s stars are missing from the competition, including Pieter Coetze, Chad le Clos and Aimee Canny, the 2026 South African Short Course Championships did bring us the comeback debut of Olympic champion Tatjana Smith.
The 29-year-old, four-time Olympic medalist and former World Record holder dove in for the women’s 50m breaststroke to begin her comeback campaign, one hopefully leading to yet another Olympic appearance at the 2028 Games in LA.
Smith stopped the clock this evening at a speedy result of 29.50, representing the sole swimmer of the pack to clear the 30-second barrier.
Chanel Veldsman was next to the wall in 31.29, with Daena Robinson rounding out the podium in 31.41.
This marks Smith (nee Schoenmaker’s) first-ever foray under the 30-second threshold in the sprint, signaling the star is wasting no time getting back in form.
Entering this competition, her lifetime best in the SCM 50 breast rested at the 30.20 notched at the 2020 version of these championships.
With tonight’s 29.50 performance, she sits only behind Lara van Niekerk’s national record of 29.09 from 2022 as South Africa’s #2 performer of all time.
The men’s edition of the 50m breast saw Michael Houlie get the job done, registering a gold medal-worthy swim of 26.18.
He was slightly quicker in the morning, hitting 26.15, with both times clearing the field for the top spot.
Chris Smith settled for silver in 26.21, with Eric Kotze bagging the bronze in 27.73.
Houlie has been as swift as 25.69 in his career, a result he turned in at the 2024 Short Course World Championships.
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