#TuksSwimming: Schoenmaker makes SA sports history at World Swimming Champs

Posted on July 26, 2019

Tatjana Schoenmaker continued her role as Swim South Africa's "poster girl" when she won a silver medal in the 200m-breaststroke during the World Championships in Korea today.

It is the first time any South African women's swimmer has medalled at a long-course World Championship. Last year the Tuks swimmer was also the first to win gold medals at a Commonwealth Games and two weeks back the first to win gold at a World Student Games.

During yesterday's semi-final Schoenmaker set a new Africa and South African record by swimming a time of 2:21.79. Her time in today's final was 2:22.52. Russia's Yuliay Efimova won in 2:20.17. Sydney Pickrem (Canada) was third in 2:22.90.

"Tatjana stepped up to the plate when it mattered. Only Efimova who has a fantastic CV when it comes to competing at big international events in the breaststroke managed to beat her. I don't think South African sports fans understand how a big a breakthrough this is. Especially in the year before the Olympic Games," said Suzaan van Biljon who herself was a former African and South African record holder in the 200m-breaststroke as well as Olympian in 2008 and 2012.

"What is genuinely fantastic is that we had two South Africans competing in the same final at a World Championship. Kaylene Corbett finished 8th in a time of 2:26.62."

With the times Schoenmaker swam in the semi-final and final she has provisionally twice qualified for next year's Olympic Games in Tokyo. 

Van Biljon's advice to Schoenmaker and Corbett is not to get too obsessed about qualifying for the Olympics. 

"They should enjoy the process and not only stress about getting results."

She also praised Rocco Meiring (Tuks head coach). 

"Rocco is, without a doubt, one of the best in the world, especially when it comes to getting female swimmers to perform to the best of their ability. 

"What distinguishes him from many other coaches is that he firstly cares about the swimmers he coaches. Their highs are his highs and their lows his lows for any women's swimmer that is important as we tend to get very emotional at times. 

"I can honestly say that Rocco is an all in one coach for any women's swimmer although he will never admit to it. Apart from his emotional empathy for his swimmers his on a forever quest to find new methods to ensure faster times in the pool."

 

- Author Wilhelm de Swardt

Copyright © University of Pretoria 2024. All rights reserved.

COVID-19 Corona Virus South African Resource Portal

To contact the University during the COVID-19 lockdown, please send an email to [email protected]

FAQ's Email Us Virtual Campus Share Cookie Preferences