Olympian swimmer Tatjana Smith expresses gratitude to God upon securing an Olympic gold medal, stating, "Thanks to you, for you."

In the "culture" section of Evangelical Focus, an article titled "Swimmer Tatjana Smith thanks God after winning Olympic gold: 'Because of you, for you'" was published. The article focuses on the South African swimmer's heartfelt expression of faith following her victories at both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.

At Tokyo 2020, Tatjana Smith (Schoenmaker) made history by becoming the first South African woman since 1996 to win a gold medal in swimming, clinching the 200m breaststroke event. Her journey continued at Paris 2024, where she won the gold in the 100m breaststroke with a time of 1 minute 5 seconds.

Hours after her first medal at Paris 2024, Smith shared a picture on social media, thanking her community and sponsors. However, it was her subsequent post that truly captured attention. The T-shirt she wore read: "'Because of you, for you'". The first three names on the T-shirt she thanked were "God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit".

Smith's open expression of her Christian faith was not a new development. Ten weeks before the start of the Olympics, she posted a selfie on social media, expressing her excitement to swim for the glory of God and represent her country. During her victory at Paris 2024, she wore earrings featuring a cross.

At Tokyo 2020, Smith prayed to God that "His will be done" after winning her medals. This unwavering faith was evident once again at Paris 2024, as she continued to thank God for her success.

The #OneMoreYearEF campaign, an ongoing sustainability campaign at Evangelical Focus, aims to gather those committed to the mission of Evangelical Focus across Europe and beyond. The campaign seems to resonate with Smith, who has shown a commitment to her faith and community in her public expressions.

More information about the #OneMoreYearEF campaign and the #TatjanaSmith story can be found on the Evangelical Focus website. Smith, affectionately known as "the golden girl" in South Africa, continues to inspire through her athletic achievements and unwavering faith.

Olympian swimmer Tatjana Smith expresses gratitude to God upon securing an Olympic gold medal, stating, "Thanks to you, for you."