Springboks Star Handré Pollard's Wife Marise Shows Love to Tatjana Smith After Netherlands Switch
- Springboks star Handré Pollard's wife, Marise, showed Tatjana Smith love following her decision to represent the Netherlands
- Marise joined several South Africans reacting to the Olympic champion's emotional announcement.
- Smith explained why she is switching sporting allegiance and shared her plans ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
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Springboks star Handré Pollard's wife, Marise, has shown Tatjana Smith some love following the Olympic champion's emotional announcement that she will represent the Netherlands.
Source: UGC
Marise joined the reactions to the swimmer's career decision, leaving a simple red heart in the comments section of her Instagram post.
Smith announced on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, that she had decided to switch her sporting allegiance, bringing an emotional chapter in her South African swimming career to a close.
Marise Pollard reacts to Tatjana Smith's announcement
Marise kept her message short, opting for a single red heart emoji beneath Smith's announcement. She was among those who engaged with the emotional announcement as messages of encouragement came in from South Africans across different sporting and entertainment circles.
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Springbok legend Bryan Habana also wished Smith well, writing, "Onwards and upwards", while Springbok captain Siya Kolisi's former wife, Rachel Kolisi, shared a heartfelt message: "Love love love you."
Other supporters also encouraged the four-time Olympic medallist to pursue an environment that would give her the support needed to achieve her ambitions.
Take a look at the screenshot from Instagram below.
Source: Instagram
Why Tatjana Smith is switching to the Netherlands
Smith, South Africa's most decorated Olympian, explained that her decision was influenced by her Dutch heritage and the opportunity to experience a different high-performance swimming environment.
The 29-year-old holds dual South African and Dutch citizenship. In her emotional video announcement, she acknowledged that the news might disappoint some supporters but said she had to make a decision that was right for her future.
She also highlighted the financial and practical challenges that had made sustaining her swimming career difficult, explaining that the move would offer greater support and a more sustainable path towards her next Olympic dream.
Smith won two gold and two silver medals across the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games. She retired after the Paris Olympics but returned to competitive swimming in September 2026, setting her sights on the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Her change of sporting nationality has been confirmed by World Aquatics. Despite the switch, Smith will continue living and training in South Africa, while representing the Netherlands at international competitions.
Her first competition under the Dutch flag is scheduled to be the World Aquatics Swimming Championships in Beijing from 1 to 6 December 2026.
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Source: Briefly News
