Smith wants to help find swimming talent

SA’s most decorated Olympian, Tatjana Smith, says she is available to help Swimming SA in any capacity to unearth new talent.

Smith, who won gold and silver in the 100m and 200m breaststroke at the Paris Olympics, announced her retirement after her victories.

She ended her career with four Olympic medals and will be rewarded with R600,000 for her performance in Paris. 

Speaking after she arrived at OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday where she received a hero’s welcome, the 27-year-old said the door was open for her to help.

“I will never say no ... for now I’m just coming to terms with my retirement. It’s been 22 years that I have been swimming,” Smith told the media.

“So it is going to be a lifestyle change. I’m also giving myself a space where I want to figure out what I can do. I feel like we have learnt so much that we have to share and [not] keep it to ourselves, not to be selfish.

“I want to share what I have experienced to help others to get where they can experience something like I did. The door is open. When I decided to go to Paris I was not planning to retire. It happened during the competition.”

Smith said she was happy to bow out in style after being the standout performer in Paris.

“It is a bitter sweet pill to swallow that I am finished. This is probably the last time I will be wearing green and gold but just being able to walk out at the end of the Olympics with the flag high is what it has meant to represent the country,” she said.

“I want to encourage ... more people [to get] into sport. I’m grateful that I am on the other side now as a retired athlete. I’m here to have a voice for athletes as well. “There is a lot we can learn from each other in terms of how we can grow and how we can make it better.”