Schoenmaker still hungry for Olympic medal

Though she is already considering her future outside the pool, swimming star Tatjana Schoenmaker says her sights remain firmly set on the Tokyo Olympics.

After securing silver in the 200m breaststroke at last year’s World Championships in Gwangju, becoming the first South African woman to earn a medal at the global spectacle, Schoenmaker cemented her place among the country’s strongest medal hopes for the multi-sport Games.

And while the quadrennial showpiece in Tokyo had been postponed until next year due to the coronavirus pandemic, she was gearing up for her long-term build-up after taking a break from the pool during the national lockdown.

She admitted, however, that she was reluctant to return to the water at home.

“I know I need to start swimming, but I have not yet found the courage to do so as the water in the pool is icy cold,” Schoenmaker told TuksSport.

For the last few years, the 22-year-old breaststroke specialist had juggled her studies at the University of Pretoria with her commitment as an elite swimmer.

She had been rewarded for her hard work, earning double gold in the 100m and 200m finals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2019 World Student Games.

She admitted it had been a challenge to divide her attention, but last year Schoenmaker received a BCom in financial sciences.

Subsequently given an opportunity to focus on training, she was hoping to step on the podium at next year’s Olympics.

After the Games, however, she was considering a potential career as a quantity surveyor.

And though it had been a tough path to follow, as she aimed for success both in and out the pool, Schoenmaker said she would do nothing to change her story thus far.

“If I could have the past four years over again, I would choose to do precisely the same,” she said.

“I have had some fantastic experiences and met incredible people.”

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