{
  "id": 19622049,
  "title": "Tearful Smith switches allegiance to Netherlands",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/tearful-smith-switches-allegiance-to-netherlands",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-12T07:32:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ghanaian Times",
    "slug": "ghanaian-times",
    "url": "https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh/tearful-smith-switches-allegiance-to-netherlands/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "South Africa’s most decorated Olympian Tatjana Smith was in tears as she announced that she has switched allegiance to the Netherlands. The 29-year-old won four Olympic breaststroke medals, including two golds, before retiring after the Paris 2024 Games. She came out of retirement in September and hopes to compete in the 50m breaststroke as the … The post Tearful Smith switches allegiance to…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Maverick",
        "title": "FRESH CHAPTER: Swimming icon Tatjana Smith switches allegiance to the Netherlands ‘to thrive, not just survive’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/fresh-chapter-swimming-icon-tatjana-smith-switches-allegiance-to-the",
        "published": "2026-11-10T16:14:52.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Citizen",
        "title": "Tatjana Smith drops bombshell: ‘I’ve decided to swim for the Netherlands’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/tatjana-smith-drops-bombshell-ive-decided-to-swim-for-the-netherlands",
        "published": "2026-11-10T17:02:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "South Africa's most decorated Olympian Smith to compete for the Netherlands",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/south-africas-most-decorated-olympian-smith-to-compete-for-the",
        "published": "2026-11-10T19:13:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Tatjana Smith had already begun racing for a Dutch club in Rotterdam long before telling SA she was leaving",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/tatjana-smith-had-already-begun-racing-for-a-dutch-club-in-rotterdam",
        "published": "2026-11-11T09:16:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC World",
        "title": "Tearful Smith switches allegiance to Netherlands",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/tearful-smith-switches-allegiance-to-netherlands",
        "published": "2026-11-11T09:45:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Mail and Guardian",
        "title": "Tatjana Smith’s switch to the Netherlands is a bitter blow for South African sport",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/tatjana-smiths-switch-to-the-netherlands-is-a-bitter-blow-for-south",
        "published": "2026-11-11T09:51:43.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}