@TeamSA2020
Tatjana Schoenmaker won the women's 200m breaststroke final on Friday in a world record time of 2:18.95 to deliver South Africa's first gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics.
Schoenmaker, who had already claimed silver in the 100m breaststroke on Tuesday, powered to the finish 0.97 seconds ahead of American Lilly King, with Annie Lazor of the United States in third.
Her fellow Tuks student, Kaylene Corbett, a product of Pearson High School in Nelson Mandela Bay, came home in 5th position.
Schoenmaker shed a tear on the podium when she received her gold medal and then told the media that she looked forward to celebrating with her family when she gets back to Pretoria.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but I’m just excited to go back home and celebrate with my parents. In the same breath, I really don’t want this Olympic experience to end,” she beamed.
Schoenmaker said her goal in coming to Tokyo had simply been to perform at her best so her silver and gold medals were just a wonderful bonus.
An emotional Corbett said she had not even been thinking about Finals and just wanted to swim a personal best, so to achieve 5th place was ‘huge’.
She said she was simply overjoyed to see her teammate and close friend Schoenmaker claim the gold medal and the world record all in one.
“To place 5th in the world is just mind blowing for me,” said Corbett. “Tatjana is also the most incredible training partner. I hold her very high in my heart and this swim is a huge step for me.”
