Tatjana Smith (née Schoenmaker) produced her two best times in the 200m breaststroke since her gold-medal winning performance in Tokyo on Day 3 of the SA National Swimming Championships, serving this year as Olympic trials, at the Newton Park Swimming Pool on Wednesday, 10 April, 2024
The former world record holder in the event swam a sensational 2:19.92 in the morning heats and then went even quicker in the final, storming to another national title in a time of 2:19.01.
That places her top in the world so far this year, overtaking American Kate Douglass (2:19.30) and Dutchwoman Tes Schouten (2:19.81) with her evening swim. Coming in second was Smith’s training partner and fellow Olympic finalist Kaylene Corbett, whose morning heat swim of 2:23.84 was already an Olympic qualifying time. She also went quicker in the evening, reaching the finish in 2:23.71 for silver.
“I think I still can’t really grasp the concept… I’m splits away from my PB [the previous world record]… I’m just grateful to be back on the times, feeling myself again in the water,” said an emotional Smith afterwards. “I was really struggling to find my rhythm in the water and I think I’ve gotten it now.”
Speaking about her heat swim, Smith added: “This morning was quite surprising. I really felt comfortable so I was expecting maybe a 2:21 or if I was lucky a 2:20 so when I saw 2:19 it was unreal.
“The finals are obviously a bit tougher because you’re tired after the morning but I think that’s the point of going out hard in the mornings is to challenge yourself and I think if you push yourself over that line then you can expect to do a bit better in the finals as well.
“I’m very grateful. It is a bit of a confidence boost.”
2024 SA 200m Breaststroke Champion, Tatjana Smith
Corbett was pleased to have dipped under the Olympic qualifying time once again but had hoped to go slightly faster.
“I think we’re never satisfied,” she said afterwards. “I would have enjoyed going a little bit faster but it’s all relative, it’s how I feel at the moment and at the end of the day… this is just a stepping stone to Paris so this is where we are right now. You check where you are and then you build from there.”
There were mixed emotions for Aimee Canny in the 200m freestyle after achieving a new personal best time of 1:57.39 but just missing out on the Olympic qualifying mark by just .13 of a second.
“It was OK. Obviously I’m a little sad,” she said afterwards. “But I need to stay motivated for the rest of the week. I have the 200 IM on the last day so I’m excited for that.”
Canny may also request to swim a time trial in the event to take another shot at achieving the qualifying time.
“I’ll look at my options… I’ll talk to my coach back in the States and see where I can get that 0.1,” she explained.
Hannah Pearse was among further winners to pick up national titles on Wednesday night when she won the women’s 200m backstroke in 2:12.19.
Swimming action continues at the Newton Park Swimming Pool in Gqeberha on Thursday morning.
Original Copy: Swimming South Africa, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Tatjana Smith racing to a world leading 200m breaststroke finish to win the national title at the SA Swim Champs on Day 3 of the SA National Swimming Championships, at the Newton Park Swimming Pool on Wednesday, 10 April, 2024. File Photo: SA Sports Images/Anton Geyser
Photo 2 Caption: Smith’s training partner and fellow Olympic finalist Kaylene Corbett finished second in the discipline, improving her Paris 2024 Qualifying time set earlier in the heats. File Photo: SA Sports Images/Anton Geyser
Photo 3 Caption: Aimee Canny was disappointed to miss the 200m freestyle qualifying time by a whisker, and hopes to make up ground in the 200IM on final day. File Photo: SA Sports Images/Anton Geyser
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