CAPE TOWN - Tatjana Schoenmaker had South Africans cheering and shouting in their living rooms at 3:45am on Friday morning when she raced to a Olympic Gold medal and new world record in the women's 200m breaststroke.
Schoenmaker finished in a record-breaking time of 2 min 18.95 sec beating the previous record of 2:19.11 set by Denmark’s Rikke Moller Pedersen in 2013 to claim South Africa's first gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
She had earlier in the week won a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke.
South Africans took to social media to express their delight with their first female Olympic swimming champion since Penny Heyns won the same event back at Atlanta 1996.
Here are some of the reactions ranging from former Banyana Banyana captain Janine van Wyk and former Proteas fast bowler Morne van Wyk.
Janine van Wyk
So worth waking up early hours of the morning to watch this champion smash the World Record!!!
Congratulations @TRSchoenmaker you have made the Country extremely proud 🇿🇦🥇
@SuperSportTV
@TeamSA2020
#Olympics
So worth waking up early hours of the morning to watch this champion smash the World Record!!!
— Janine Van Wyk (@Janinevanwyk5) July 30, 2021
Congratulations @TRSchoenmaker you have made the Country extremely proud 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦![CDATA[]]>🥇@SuperSportTV @TeamSA2020 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/pH3L32OtgV
Penny Heyns
You leave me Speechless and make me 🥲. Well done Tatjana.
— Penny Heyns (@pennyheyns) July 30, 2021
1st Gold for RSA female swimmer in 25years
1st WR for RSA female swimmer in 22years
1st Gold for Team SA at Tokyo 2020
… and all in Breaststroke! So proud of you Tatjana. Congratulations Rocco pic.twitter.com/NOzzDzHiR7
Siv Ngesi
So happy to see so many South Africans up so early to watch @TRSchoenmaker kick ass! It feels like we are all so desperate for good and positive news! Sport is amazing!
So happy to see so many South Africans up so early to watch @TRSchoenmaker kick ass! It feels like we are all so desperate for good and positive news! Sport is amazing!
— Siv Ngesi (@iamSivN) July 30, 2021
Robert Marawa
CHAMPION!!!! 🥇🥇🥇🥇
NEW WORLD RECORD!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS Tatjana Schoenmaker!!!!
Women's 200m Breaststroke Final
#TokyoOlympics
#TatjanaSchoenmaker
CHAMPION!!!! 🥇![CDATA[]]>🥇![CDATA[]]>🥇![CDATA[]]>🥇
— robertmarawa (@robertmarawa) July 30, 2021
NEW WORLD RECORD!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS Tatjana Schoenmaker!!!!
Women's 200m Breaststroke Final#TokyoOlympics #TatjanaSchoenmaker
Fina
That's Incredible! #RSA Tatjana Shoenmaker set a new World Record touching home in 2:18.95!
Congratulations to the new Olympic Champion of the 200m Breast
#swimming
Showtime in Tokyo with a stunning 200m Breast final! #RSA Tatjana Schoenmaker 🥇WR⏱2:18.95#USA Lilly King 🥈#USA Annie Lazor 🥉
— FINA (@fina1908) July 30, 2021
Full Results 👉https://t.co/WIP1sRUZ6w pic.twitter.com/KKGnnMZq1Q
Morne Morkel
What a special moment!! Well done to our golden girl @TRSchoenmaker. 🥇🇿🇦
What a special moment!! Well done to our golden girl @TRSchoenmaker. 🥇![CDATA[]]>🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦 pic.twitter.com/m4aDODHiiI
— Morne Morkel (@mornemorkel65) July 30, 2021
* Click here for the latest Olympics news, schedules, results and medal rankings.
@ZaahierAdams
IOL Sport