| Tanja Scholz | |
| Birth Place: | Elmshorn, Schleswig-Holstein, West Germany |
| Years Active: | 2021–present |
| Country: | Germany |
| Sport: | Swimming |
| Disability Class: | S4, SM3 |
| Event: | Freestyle, backstroke |
| Coach: | Kirsten Bruhn |
| Worlds: | 2022 |
| Regionals: | 2024 |
| Show-Medals: | y |
Tanja Scholz (born 29 June 1984) is a German Paralympic swimmer, who won three gold medals at each of the 2022 and 2023 World Para Swimming Championships. She won a bronze medal at the 2024 World Para Swimming European Open Championships.
Scholz is from Elmshorn, Schleswig-Holstein, West Germany.[1] She has three children.[2] Scholz was diagnosed with paraplegia after a horse riding accident in June 2020, and has been wheelchair bound since.[1] At the time, she was told that she would not be able to swim due to the extent of her injuries.[3]
Scholz started competing in competitive para swimming in January 2021;[1] prior to her accident, she had been a competitive able bodied swimmer.[3] She trains at, and is coached by Kirsten Bruhn.[2] Scholz was the top athlete at the six event 2022 Para Swimming World Series.[4] At the World Series event in Aberdeen, Scotland, she set the world record in the 100 metres freestyle S4 competition.[5]
Scholz won five medals at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships. She won gold medals in the 50, 100 and 200 metre freestyle S4 events and won bronze medals in the 50 metre backstroke S4 and 150 metre medley SM3 competitions.[1] She competed in the 150 metres medley event 26 minutes after her 100 metres freestyle victory.[2]
At the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships, Scholz won the 100 metre freestyle S4 and 150 metre individual medley SM3 competitions.[6] [7] She won both events within 20 minutes of each other,[8] and also finished second in the final of the 5 metre breaststroke SB2 event.[6] At the 2024 World Para Swimming European Open Championships, Scholz came third in the 50 metre SB2 breaststroke event.[9]