SA celebrates Tatjana Schoenmaker winning the countryβs first medal at the Tokyo Olympics
Social media was abuzz with reaction to Tatjana Schoenmaker securing SA's first medal at the Tokyo Olympics, with many predicting even more success for team SA.
Schoenmaker took silver in the womenβs 100m breaststroke on Tuesday morning.
She set the games alight on Monday when she set a new Olympic record in the event, but swam her slowest time in her three swims at these Games to finish behind American Lydia Jacoby in the final.
Another silver medal came later on Tuesday when Bianca Buitendag took on top seed Carissa Moore in the women's surfing final.
Buitendag caused an upset on Tuesday when she beat No.2 seed Caroline Marks and several others to make it through to the final.
Swimmer Chad le Clos won his men's 200m butterfly semifinal to book a place in Wednesday's final.
Schoenmaker and Buitendag were the toast of social media on Tuesday. Here are some of the reactions:
Things that just feel right: waking up at 4AM to watch TATJANA SCHOENMAKER win silver π₯π₯π₯πΏπ¦πΏπ¦πΏπ¦π₯π₯π₯ππππ#Tokyo2020
— ππ«ππ§ππ¨π§ πππ ππ¨π«ππ§π¨π² (@BrandonPortnoy) July 27, 2021
Congratulations on the #Olympics silver medal Tatjana Schoenmaker ! ππ½
— Tshezi Tenza (@mkmaf) July 27, 2021
First medal in the bag for Team SA!
— Wesley Botton (@wesbotton) July 27, 2021
Tatjana Schoenmaker takes silver in the 100m breaststroke final at the Tokyo Olympics.
She will be back in the pool tomorrow for the 200m heats.
Vukani!!! We have a medal. Silver in the 100m breaststroke in a time of 1:05:22 π₯
— YT: Lonwabo Nkohla (@LonwaboNkohla) July 27, 2021
In womenβs surfing Bianca Buitendag is through to the final - we are guaranteed a gold or silver medal π₯ π₯
Chad Le Clos is in the final of the 200m butterfly tomorrow pic.twitter.com/Ixu2KggfBp
South Africa we are finally up on the medal board! Tatjana Schoenmaker is an Olympic silver medalist! #Swimming #Tokyo2020
— J5 Ballon DβOr. (@nombulelo_booi) July 27, 2021
Bianca Buitendag. Brilliant. I hope they are dancing in the streets of Strand. Let's get behind our surfer. Let's get a gold medal
— Wayne Sussman (@waynesussman) July 27, 2021
We finally got our 1st medal thanks Tatjana Schoenmaker ππΌππ½ππ½ and awesome performance from Chad Le Close finishing 1st and SA Men's Rugby Seven team for winning against USA #TokyoOlympics #Tokyo2020
— Mandla Mbj Nkosi (@MBJNkosi) July 27, 2021
Itβs Tatjana Schoenmaker OβClock. #TeamSA #Olympics
— LEBOHANG MOTSOELI (@LeboMotsoeli) July 27, 2021
To get to the final, Bianca Buitendag fought her way out of the repΓͺchage, beat a 7 time world champion, then smashed her way through the quarters, and just defeated the future of the sport and favourite to win in the semi
— Morgan Bolton (@FreemanZAR) July 27, 2021
She is ranked 17th in the world#Tokyo2020 #TeamSA pic.twitter.com/sw2mubnGAm