Penny: Tatjana could surprise in Tokyo
SOUTH African swimming legend Penny Heyns is backing current local sensation Tatjana Schoenmaker to “spoil the American party” at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
Schoenmaker is looking to emulate Heyns’ amazing achievements of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games when she won the both the 100m and 200m breaststroke gold medals. Heyns remains the only female breaststroke swimmer to ever achieve the unique Olympic double.
The Americans, though, will be willing on 24-year-old Lilly King in Japan. King is the current 100m breaststroke OIympic champion and world record holder and is being widely tipped to do the “double” back home.
“I really do hope that Tatjana spoils the American party,” Heyns said. “In an interview I did a while back they almost forgot that Tokyo hasn’t happened yet and they told me Lilly has also done the double.
“I said ‘Sorry, I think you’re getting ahead of yourself. We still have to wait and see’. I don’t think she will be alone
in the 200 metres. She will have some stiff competition.”
Schoenmaker will certainly be among the competitors pushing King all the way in Tokyo. The Commonwealth Games double gold medallist was in brilliant form at the recent SA Swimming Championships in Gqeberha.
She chalked up three national and Africa records, including posting the second fastest time globally of 1:05.74 in the 100m breaststroke, which is just 0.00.09 seconds slower than King. Schoenmaker, though, does boast the fastest 200m time after clocking 2:20.17 in the Newton Park pool.