Penny speechless after Tatjana’s triumph

PENNY Heyns distinctly remembers one of the first times she saw swimming sensation Tatjana Schoenmaker in action.

It was many years ago at an African Junior Championship swim meet in Botswana.

“I saw her while I was doing some commentating for a TV channel. I made some comments that day that she looked really talented. Her parents recently reminded me of this.”

Yesterday, the legendary South African swimmer had front-row seats to watch Schoenmaker as she smashed a world record and claimed gold in the 200m breaststroke final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Schoenmaker, who won silver in the 100m breaststroke earlier in the week, was competing in her eighth race in five days and delivered a near-perfect performance under supreme pressure.

Her world-record time of 2:18.95 left her comfortably ahead of Americans Lilly King and Annie Lazor, who took silver and bronze.

Schoenmaker, coached by renowned swimming coach Rocco Meiring, was 0.97 seconds ahead of King, while Team SA teammate Kaylene Corbett finished fifth.

Heyns, who was poolside, said she was left speechless following the Tuks swimming graduate’s “perfect swim” at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

“I feel like everything’s a blur. I want to go back and watch the race over and over. It’s just so amazing how Tatjana kicked into another gear and passed everybody and touched that wall.

“I don't know if I was caught up in her reaction or stunned by the time, but I just got goosebumps and felt so emotional.”

Heyns said she was particularly impressed by Schoenmaker’s composure during the final of the 200m event.

“She really has been an awesome role model in the way that she's humbly handled her successes thus far.

“Swimming an Olympic final with that kind of pressure … not everybody can have the big match temperament to hold it together.”

Schoenmaker herself was modest in her triumph, insisting that she just wanted to reach the final.

Speaking to the media yesterday, Schoenmaker said her gold medal win had yet to sink in.

“It still hasn’t really sunk in! I’m excited to also go back home and celebrate this with my family,” Schoenmaker said.

“I was lucky to have my teammate (Kaylene Corbett) there. We were all like two-two – two Americans, two British, two South Africans. So, it was just amazing. This is my first Olympics, so for me to get a lane into the final … I’ve exceeded – or God has exceeded – all my expectations, I couldn’t have been happier.”

Heyns, who is in Tokyo representing the International Swimming Federation (Fina) as chairperson, admits to have felt “nervous” for Schoenmaker ahead of her debut final at an Olympic Games in the 100m breaststroke final.

“I can’t remember how nervous I felt when I walked out to swim all those years back, but I don't recall feeling as nervous as how I now felt on the sidelines.

“When you are the swimmer and you’ve done the training, you have the control.

“It’s worse for the coach or the spectator.

“If you really care about the swimmer, you tend to feel a lot more nervous than the one that's racing, and that’s how I felt.”