Tatjana Schoenmaker

Trailblazer Tatjana Schoenmaker reflects on her remarkable career, what drives her and how she hopes to make the most of her future needs.

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Surprising fact...Tatjana didn’t like swimming that much when she first started. It was only after she began attending a sports school in grade nine and was identified as a fast swimmer that the bug bit. After a year of training and improved times, she made team South Africa. “I think you like something better when you’re good at it,” says the Olympic gold medallist and record breaker. “I realised that I was talented in swimming and enjoyed being part of team South Africa.” From there, Tatjana excelled. In 2018, she competed in the Commonwealth Games, winning gold medals in the women’s 100-metre breaststroke as well as the 200m breaststroke – no easy feat. She’s set numerous international and national records, won gold at the 2020 Olympics and is paving the way for more female swimmers to make their mark on the international stage. Through it all, the Under Armour athlete remains humble as she sets her sights on bagging many more medals.