Tatjana Schoenmaker and Rocco Meiring are the real deal when it comes to performing at their best when it matters most. It was proved yesterday when the Tuks swimmer won silver in the 100m breaststroke during the Swimming World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. Schoenmaker has now won 11 medals (six gold and five silver) at major international events.

There is a real chance she will increase her medal tally by Friday to 12. If everything runs smoothly, the Tuks swimmer will compete in the 200m breaststroke semifinals tomorrow afternoon. It would be a surprise if she did not qualify for the final. Her season's best time of 2:22.44 is so far the fifth fastest in the world.

Schoenmaker's pool heroics are genuinely impressive. Only a few athletes, especially in South African women's sports, have been so consistent over such a long time. Hers has not been an all-solo journey. As it is said, "It takes two to tango". Meiring is the other half of this amazing success story.

 

Theirs is a classic scenario of Schoenmaker being the brawn and Meiring being the brain. The Tuks swimmer should not take offence when referred to as having the brawn. After all, she is the one who puts her body on the line for long hours every day. Meiring is on a continuous quest to find ways to ensure she is faster and stronger.

 

The relationship has had its ups and downs. There was a time when Meiring was not coaching Schoenmaker. Luckily for South African sports, they talked through their differences. As a coach, Meiring does not believe in always being right. Schoenmaker admitted that she can be pretty stubborn at times.

 

Thinking back, the only other time we had such a successful combination in South African women's sport between athlete and coach was when Martin Marx coached Hestrie Cloete and Terseus Liebenberg Sunette Viljoen. Both athletes medaled at the Olympic Games, World Championships, and Commonwealth Games more than once.

 

Meiring is honest in his assessment of Schoenmaker's performance in yesterday's final.

 

"It was a scrappy race with a fortunate outcome. But I am glad for Tatjana. She needed the break.

 

"The most important thing that changed Tatjana this season was her mindset. Her primary goal is not to win a gold medal next year in Paris at the Olympic Games. She wants to enjoy her 'journey' to the Games. That is what she tried to do yesterday. But having said this, Tatjana is a true competitor. She wants to be competitive every time she races. Hopefully, that will lead to her winning a gold medal again."

 

According to Schoenmaker (TuksSport High School matriculant & TuksSwimming Academy graduate), she did not expect to medal yesterday. "I didn't expect that medal. The last world championships I was at, in 2019, I came sixth in the 100m, so to medal is incredible," said the Tuks swimmer after the race. I don't train for the 100m; I train for the 200m, so I'm just grateful that my speed is there.

 

"The 200 is my main focus, but I'm very grateful that my 100 time is fast because that helps a lot with the 200. But it is obviously a completely different race."