WATCH: Tatjana Smith claims SA's first gold medal at 2024 Olympics

South Africans can once again revel in pride after professional swimmer Tatjana Smith won the thrilling Women's 100m Breaststroke battle at the Olympics.

The gold medallist won in the nail-biting final moments of the swimming competition with a time of 1:05.28.

READ: The countries that have been banned from the Olympics

Smith ended up ahead of China's Tang Qianting, whose total time was 1:05:54, with Ireland's Mona McSharry taking bronze (1:05:59).

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"I just go out there and do my best and I know that every time I dive in, I'm trying as hard as possible. So that's what I do every single race," she said.

"If it happens to be like this, then I'm very grateful. It's a massive blessing." 

Smith said that having already tasted Olympic gold, she knows what her victory will bring. 

"When people said after Tokyo life will change, I was like, that's ridiculous... and it was really just when I came home, just the amount of support," she added.

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This is the 27-year-old's second Olympic gold medal.

At the 2020 Olympics, Smith won the gold medal and set the world record in the 200-metre breaststroke.  

She also won the silver medal in the 100-metre breaststroke.

Monday was also the first day the South African national anthem was played at the 2024 Olympics after Smith's win. 

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IMAGE: X/ Tatjana Smith