South Africa’s most decorated Olympian, Tatjana Smith, has switched allegiance to the Netherlands and plans to compete under the Dutch flag at Los Angeles 2028, the breaststroke queen said in a statement on Tuesday.

Smith, who holds both South African and Dutch citizenship, won two Olympic golds and two silvers from Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.

“Representing South Africa at the Olympic Games was my biggest childhood dream. To have lived that dream and won four Olympic medals is something I will always treasure,” she said in the statement.

“Both South Africa and the Netherlands have always been part of who I am. I am deeply grateful to the South African swimming community, all my coaches and to every South African who cheered me on. That gratitude will never change,” added Smith, whose first international duty will be at the short-course world championships in Beijing from December 1-6.

Smith will remain based in South Africa, “continuing to train with the team that has been part of her journey”.

“She looks forward to joining the Dutch team at international competitions and training camps, bringing with her the experience and knowledge gained throughout her career with her South African coaches and teammates, while embracing the opportunity to learn from a different high-performance environment,” the statement read.

Smith announced her retirement at the Paris 2024 showpiece, but recently said she had changed her mind.

Meanwhile, Chad Le Clos, the only other South African to have won four Olympic medals with one gold and three silver, was on Tuesday named as co-captain of the South African team for the short-course world championships in Beijing, alongside veteran Erin Gallagher.