Rene Schoenmaker and his wife Renske‚ the parents of Olympic gold medallist Tatjana Schoenmaker‚ have said they have been overwhelmed with support and thanked South Africans and the team behind their golden girl’s achievement as the country bask in the glory of their daughter.

The 24-year-old University of Pretoria athlete offered a golden ray of sunshine for South Africa as she smashed an eight-year old world record in the 200m breaststroke to win Team SA’s first gold medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Schoenmaker opened Team SA’s haul with a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke and was followed by Victoria Bay-born surfer Bianca Buitendag‚ who won silver in the women’s surfing. The pair accounts for the only three medals won by Team SA by Tuesday.

“We are very proud‚ said Renske‚ Schoenmaker’s mom.

“But at the same time‚ it takes a village to raise a child. We are not the only people. There are so many people behind these athletes.

“The medical staff‚ the support team‚ the coaches‚ friends‚ teammates and families – I mean you don’t want to start mentioning names because you are going to miss some.

“We just want to say thank you to everybody involved in Tatjana’s successes. It is incredible and we cannot comprehend this. It is unbelievable.”

Schoenmaker’s father‚ Rene‚ said the family was happy for Tatjana and that his daughter’s achievements are exactly what the doctor ordered for the happiness index across the country following social unrest that led to looting of shops and destruction of property and infrastructure last month.

“It is also about what it has done for the country. You know as a country we have gone through some difficult times over the last couple of weeks and this is nice to see.”

Rene said he was overawed with love and support his family has received.

“I was shocked to see the reaction from people around the country and what it has done for them. That to me makes it even better. That is unbelievable.

“It was something that she was aspiring to do to say that if she has to win an Olympic medal she has to swim a world record and she did. Two Olympic medals and a world record‚ what more can we ask for.

“I’m going to hug her‚ hold her and kiss her. I have not seen her for a long time‚” said Rene.

Tatjana’s boyfriend and swim mate‚ Ruan Ras‚ was jovial and could not hide his excitement over what his girlfriend has achieved.

“I don’t think it is ever going to sink in. I mean we knew that she was capable of doing it but just facing that reality is amazing. I’m just so proud of her you know.

“We are all very proud of her achievements but more than that I am just excited to have her back here at home‚” Ras said.

Ras said the first thing he will do as soon as Tatjana emerged from the international arrivals terminal at OR Tambo International airport was to go to hug her.

At exactly 4.30pm‚ Tatjana emerged from the international arrivals terminal smiling and waving the South African flag and the first thing she did was turn to Ras to hug him.

Schoenmaker was accompanied by her coach Rocco Meiring and was received by minister of sports‚ arts and culture Nathi Mthethwa‚ South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) vice-president Lwandile Simelane and Swimming SA president Alan Fritz.

Lizanne Viljoen‚ who swims with her best friends Tatjana Schoenmaker and Kaylene Corbett at Tuks‚ was also at the airport and said she was not sure if she would be able to hold back tears when her Olympic medallist mate emerges. Corbett and Schoenmaker made history as they became the first Team SA women swimmers to feature in an Olympic final since 2000. The pair were in the 200m breaststroke final although Corbett was unable to medal in her debut Olympics.

“It’s unbelievable to know that you can train with someone who can smash a world record‚” said Lizanne Viljoen.

“I think in only a few months maybe it will sink in. I spoke to her once and that was before she started competing and she told me that she was very excited and she is going to just swim her heart out and I believe she gave it her all.

“I think I am going to cry because I am going to get so emotional to see her. I’m just so proud of her and I think she deserves this. I’m just speechless right now.

“She worked really hard. She did everything that was asked of her and deserved the world record and the Olympic medal.”

Godfrey Blake was with his mates at the airport to receive Schoenmaker.

“I’m part of the Tuks sports school‚ the same school that Tatjana attended. It’s amazing‚” said Blake.

“Tatjana is someone who never gives up. She is just such a nice person to chill with.

“She is always there for everyone trying to help out wherever she can. I was not surprised because she has put in the work for the last 10 years.”