Paris Olympics, Day 2 Semifinals: Tatjana Smith Targeting Gold in 100 Breaststroke
Tatjana Smith knows the feeling of winning an Olympic gold medal, having accomplished the feat at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. During the COVID-19 Games, when known by her maiden name of Tatjana Schoenmaker, the South African snared the title in the 200-meter breaststroke.
Will Paris feature a title in the 100 breaststroke.
Replicating her time from the preliminaries, Smith was the quickest performer in the semifinals of the 100 breast at La Defense Arena on Sunday night. The silver medalist in the event in Tokyo, Smith touched the wall in 1:05.00. That swim vaulted Smith into the final as the top seed by a half-second over Ireland’s Mona McSharry, who went 1:05.51.
It won’t be surprising if Smith dips into the 1:04-range during the final, as her finish during the semifinals was poor and certainly cost the 27-year-old some time. Following Smith and McSharry into the No. 3 position for the medals chase was veteran Lilly King. The American went 1:05.64 and will be seeking her third straight Olympic medal in the event, following a gold at the 2016 Games and a bronze in Tokyo.
- World Record: Lilly King, USA – 1:04.13 (2017)
- Olympic Record: Tatjana Smith (nee Schoenmaker), RSA – 1:04.82 (2021)
- Tokyo Olympic Champion: Lydia Jacoby, USA – 1:04.95
Smith was surprised — and a tad bit dismayed, if we’re honest — to see the exact same time as prelims on the board in semis.
“It’s my fastest time since Tokyo, and I think most of all, it’s not even for me about the time,” Smith said. “It’s about enjoying the experience and I’m having so much more fun.”
McSharry fancies herself a medal contender if she can put the pieces together. She was out a tenth faster in prelims but back in 34.55 in semifinals. If she can take the best of those two swims, she’s in the podium mix.
“I did go out a little bit slower the first 50, and that was probably about being more relaxed,” McSharry said. “And that’s not necessarily a bad thing because I did come back faster. But hopefully I can put together the 50 from this morning and the 50 from tonight tomorrow, and see what happens.”
And then there’s King, never one to count out as long as she’s got a lane.
“Tonight was a lot better (than prelims),” she said. “I was definitely a little rattled after this morning. I think I just swam a dumb race, one very similar to the Worlds final last year, so I’m glad I got that one out of the way. Just tried to refocus my energy and change my race strategy a little bit, and I think it turned out very well. I’m pretty aware of where everyone’s been at. I think it’s the same crew that’s usually in the final, but that’s what I was expecting.”
The favorite heading into the Games, China’s Tang Qianting qualified fourth for the final, with her swim of 1:05.83 just ahead of the 1:05.93 from Alina Zmushka, who is competing as a neutral athlete. Zmushka hails from Belarus, which has been banned from the Games by the International Olympic Committee due to its support of the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. However, the IOC cleared a path for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in Paris as independents, an opportunity Zmushka took.
Also reaching the final were Great Britain’s Angharad Evans (1:05.99), Italy’s Benedetta Pilato (1:06.12) and Estonia’s Eneli Jefimova (1:06.23). Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte, the 2012 Olympic champ and 2023 world titlist, missed the final with an 11th-place showing.
I’m hoping for:
Gold -Tatjana Schoenmaker/Smith
Silver – Mona McSharry
Bronze – Angharad Evans (only because I love her first name!)