Olympic champion Tatjana Smith through to women's breaststroke semifinals

Smith (nee Schoenmaker) topped the timesheets in the Sunday morning heats at the Paris Le Defense Arena in the City of Love.

Going out in Heat 4, the 2020 gold medallist won her heat and stopped the clock at 1:05.00 flat. When the heats concluded, Smith's time was comfortably the fastest, over six-tenths ahead of China's Tang Qianting. World record holder Lilly King of the USA was fifth fastest with a 1:06.10.

The Johannesburg native will swim in the semifinals at 21:00 on Sunday night. The 200m breaststroke event, where Smith is the favourite, begins on Wednesday. 

At the Tokyo Games in 2020, won gold in the 200m breaststroke - breaking the world record at the time - and then grabbed silver in the 100m.

Elsewhere in the pool, Pieter Coetze came second in his men's 100m backstroke heat. His time of 52.90 was enough for second fastest overall and books Coetze a place in the semifinals at 21:32 on Sunday.

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