Tatjana Schoenmaker after winning gold in the 100m breaststroke at the 2019 World Cup gala in Tokyo. Picture: Getty Images
South African swimmer Chad le Clos believes Tatjana Schoenmaker will win an Olympic medal at this year’s rescheduled Tokyo Games.
Schoenmaker is expected to make her debut appearance at the Olympics in July, should the event go ahead as planned despite Covid-19 concerns.
The 23-year-old breaststroke swimmer rose to prominence at the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast where she picked up two gold medals in the 100m and 200m breaststroke.
In 2019, Schoenmaker became the first South African female swimmer to secure a medal at the Fina World Championships when she took silver in the 200m breaststroke in Gwangju.
“I feel very strongly about Tatjana. She is a fantastic swimmer,” said Le Clos, who will be hoping to add to his four career Olympic medals in Tokyo.
“I think she’s such a great athlete, she can really go all the way for us.”
Four-time Olympic medallist Chad le Clos. Picture: Getty Images
If Schoenmaker succeeds, she’ll be the first South African woman to earn an Olympic medal in the pool since Penny Heyns’ bronze at the 2000 Sydney Games.
The Tokyo Games is scheduled to run from July 24 to August 8.
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