Former Olympic swimmer and world record holder Tatjana Smith participated in her first 10km race, the Sappi TuksRace, on February 15.
This marked her first official race since transitioning from her illustrious swimming career to recreational running.
After winning gold and silver at the Olympic Games in Paris and dominating the pool, Smith has now set her sights on new challenges on land.
Smith’s journey from elite swimming to running has been an inspiring one.
She retired from swimming in 2024 and quickly embraced the freedom of exploring different activities, including running.
However, the shift hasn’t been without obstacles.
She shared how her competitive nature initially pushed her too hard, leading to early struggles with shin splints.
But through patience and adaptability, she has found joy in running a few times a week and is appreciating the simplicity of lacing up her shoes and hitting the road.
Though she admits to still navigating the emotions of retiring from her swimming career, Smith sees running as a fresh challenge and a way to rediscover herself.
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.
