21 years – that is how long it has been since a South African female swimmer medalled at an Olympic Games.

But this statistic is about to change. Penny Heyns is banking on the Tuks swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker to break the “jinx” in Tokyo.

“I am impressed by Tatjana’s recent performances. I think she has a realistic chance to medal at the Games. The only unanswered question is what the colour of the medal might be. To me, it is exciting that she is also a breaststroker,” Heyns said during a recent interview.

Heyns holds the distinction of being the last South African female swimmer to medal at the Olympics. She won a bronze in the 100m-breaststroke in 2000 in Sydney, but that is not why she is considered a South African female sporting great. During the 1996 Games in Atlanta, she won the 100m and 200m breaststroke events. No other female breaststroke swimmer has ever been able to achieve the unique Olympic double gold.

History will actually repeat itself. It will be only the third time since 1996 that two South African female swimmers will compete in the same event at an Olympic Games. In 1996 in Atlanta, Heyns and Julia Russell competed in the 100m and 200m breaststroke events. In 2000 in Sydney, it was Heyns and Sarah Poewe that did so.

Kaylene Corbett is the other South African swimmer who qualified to swim the 200m breaststroke in Tokyo. It is the first time that both of them will compete at a Games. According to Heyns, they mustn’t allow themselves to be overwhelmed.

“What impresses me about Tatjana is that it seems she’s not out there to compare herself against others. Her only intention is to swim to the best of her ability. That’s the right attitude. The key to success when competing at the highest level is to control the controllable. If you start wanting to race someone else, there is always the danger of being distracted. The only thing you can control is what you do in your lane,” Heyns explained.

The former Olympic champion said she like the idea of what Tatjana and Kaylene did during the SA Invitational Olympic Trials. To be able to swim a qualifying time totally on your own is a mark of readiness. It shows they got the strength and mentality to compete at an Olympic Games.

As to being able to win both the 100m and 200m breaststroke events during the 1996 Olympic Games, Heyns said the 100m was always her main event. However, when she was training for the 100 metres in 1999, she also set all her 200m breaststroke World records.

“I did repeat race pace 50-metre intervals thinking that I am training for the 100 metres. When I swam the 200 metres, it was to me like I am swimming 4×50 metres. So, what was the big deal? Perhaps I was just lucky to somehow carry over the training I did for the 100 metres over into the 200 metres,” she remarked.

Heyns believes Schoenmaker is definitely at this point in her mind focussing on the 200 metres.

“And rightfully so. What is impressive right now is that she can do 50 metres as fast as she does. It really bodes well for the 100 metres. I hope Tatjana spoils the ‘American party’ because they seem to think their swimmer will take the gold,” Heyns concluded.

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