Roland Mark Schoeman is a swimmer who has competed for South Africa. He competed at the 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
Schoeman started his Olympic career in Sydney 2000, but he failed to reach the top eight finals in any of his races. Athens 2004 marked the peak of Schoeman's swimming career. There, he and his teammates upset the favorites from the United States and Australia at the closing stages to snatch the gold in the 4x100 metres freestyle relay with a new world record time (3:13.17). He also opened the race with a fastest split of the field in 48.17 (also an African record), giving his team a full second lead that they would never concede. Schoeman's feat rose from an outsider to a medal favorite for the individual races. He added a silver in the 100 metres freestyle at 48.23, trailing the defending champion Pieter van den Hoogenband by 0.06 of a second. He closed out his second Games with a bronze in the 50, almost clearing the sub-21 second range.
Schoeman has continued to be a member of the South African swimming team at Beijing 2008 and London 2012. He entered the finals of the 50 metres freestyle and as a member of the South African men's team in the 4x100 metres freestyle relay, but he missed the podium in either of his races.
Schoeman joins his countryman Ryk Neethling as the only South African swimmers to compete in four straight editions.
Olympic Results[]
| Year | Event | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Men's 50m freestyle | 11th |
| Men's 100m freestyle | 15th | |
| Men's 4x100m freestyle relay | 11th | |
| 2004 | Men's 50m freestyle | 
|
| Men's 100m freestyle | 
| |
| Men's 4x100m freestyle relay | 
| |
| 2008 | Men's 50m freestyle | 7th |
| Men's 4x100m freestyle relay | 7th | |
| 2012 | Men's 50m freestyle | 6th |
| Men's 4x100m freestyle relay | 5th |
2000[]
| Discipline | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 metres freestyle | Heats | 22.53 | |
| Semifinal | 22.41 | ||
| Final | Did not advance | ||
| 100 metres freestyle | Heats | 49.74 | |
| Semifinal | 49.84 | ||
| Final | Did not advance | ||
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:21.28 (50.19 split) |
AR |
| Final | Did not advance | ||
2004[]
| Discipline | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 metres freestyle | Heats | 22.41 | |
| Semifinal | 21.99 | AR | |
| Final | 22.02 | ||
| 100 metres freestyle | Heats | 49.68 | |
| Semifinal | 48.39 | ||
| Final | 48.23 | ||
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:13.84 (48.38 split) |
AR |
| Final | 3:13.17 (48.17 split, AR) |
WR |
2008[]
| Discipline | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 metres freestyle | Heats | 21.76 | |
| Semifinal | 21.74 | ||
| Final | 21.67 | AR | |
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:13.06 (48.85 split) |
AR |
| Final | 3:12.66 (48.32 split) |
AR |
2012[]
| Discipline | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 50 metres freestyle | Heats | 21.92 |
| Semifinal | 21.88 | |
| Final | 21.80 | |
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:13.93 (49.00 split) |
| Final | 3:13.45 (48.27 split) |