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|
| Leah
SMITH |
| Sport |
Swimming |
| NOC |
United States
|
| Gender | Women |
| Born | 19 Apr 1995
in Pittsburgh, PA, USA |
| Height | 1.76 m |
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General Interest |
Famous relatives |
Her great-uncle Billy Conn was a boxing world champion in the light heavyweight division. Her great-grandfather Jimmy Smith played professional baseball and won the 1919 World Series with the Cincinnati Reds. Her father Dan [pole vault] and her sister Aileen [swimming] competed at university level in the United States of America. One of her brothers competed in swimming and another brother in baseball, also at university level in the United States of America. (apnews.com, 10 Apr 2021; usaswimming.org, 07 Aug 2016) |
Sport Specific Information |
Why this sport? |
Her mother was not a strong swimmer, so she wanted her children to learn. "I grew up not even starting swimming because I really wanted to, and I've grown to love the sport. For me, I'm just proud of myself and where I've come from." |
General Interest |
Awards and honours |
In 2015 she was a member of the US women's 4x200m freestyle relay team that received the Relay Performance of the Year award at USA Swimming's Golden Goggle Awards. (olympics.nbcsports.com, 23 Nov 2015)
During her collegiate career at the University of Virginia she was named the 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference [ACC] Freshman of the Year in the United States of America. (virginiasports.com, 06 Jul 2015) |
Sport Specific Information |
Name of coach |
Carol Capitani; Mitch Dalton |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
She began swimming at about age five and started competing at age six. |
Further Personal Information |
Occupation |
Athlete |
Languages |
English |
Higher education |
History, Media Studies - University of Virginia: Charlottesville, VA, USA |
General Interest |
Other information |
MOVE TO AUSTIN
In August 2021 she left her training base of four years at the University of Arizona in Tucson to train under Carol Capitani and Mitch Dalton at the University of Texas in Austin. "I moved to Austin in August and I am training with Carol and Mitch and the women's team at Texas. I've always had a lot of respect and admiration for both Carol and Mitch and so I'm very excited for my journey with them. I'm very thankful to the coaches at Arizona for everything we did over the past few years together and I'm excited for what's next." (swimswam.com, 02 Dec 2021, 12 Oct 2021) |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"I've always had sort of a grind-it-out attitude. I think I can train really well and a huge part of my confidence comes from my training." (teamusa.org, 11 Apr 2018) |
Further Personal Information |
Residence |
Austin, TX, USA |
General Interest |
Injuries |
She was suffering from a neck injury in October 2019 that forced her to withdraw from an International Swimming League [ISL] competition. (swimswam.com, 19 Oct 2019) |
Most influential person in career |
Her sister. (news.virginia.edu, 07 Feb 2017) |
Hero / Idol |
US swimmers Lenny Krayzelburg and Katie Ledecky. (apnews.com, 10 Apr 2021; digitaljournal.com, 04 Dec 2019) |
Olympic Games |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 6 |
2016 |
Rio de Janeiro, BRA |
800m Freestyle |
8:20.95 |
| 3 |
2016 |
Rio de Janeiro, BRA |
400m Freestyle |
4:01.92 |
| 1 |
2016 |
Rio de Janeiro, BRA |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
7:43.03 |
World Championships |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 2 |
2023 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
7:41.38 |
| 4 |
2022 |
Budapest, HUN |
800m Freestyle |
8:20.04 |
| 9 |
2022 |
Budapest, HUN |
200m Freestyle |
1:56.90 |
| 3 |
2022 |
Budapest, HUN |
400m Freestyle |
4:02.08 |
| 5 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
800m Freestyle |
8:17.10 |
| 3 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
400m Freestyle |
4:01.29 |
| 2 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
|
| 6 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
400m Individual Medley |
4:36.09 |
| 2 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
400m Freestyle |
4:01.54 |
| 3 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
800m Freestyle |
8:17.22 |
| 6 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
200m Freestyle |
1:56.06 |
| 1 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
7:43.39 |
| 1 |
2015 |
Kazan, RUS |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
7:45.37 |
World Championships Short Course |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 4 |
2022 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
800m Freestyle |
8:14.24 |
| 3 |
2022 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
400m Freestyle |
3:59.78 |
| 4 |
2022 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
400m Individual Medley |
4:29.18 |
| 3 |
2022 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
7:34.70 |
| 4 |
2018 |
Hangzhou, CHN |
400m Freestyle |
3:58.58 |
| 3 |
2018 |
Hangzhou, CHN |
800m Freestyle |
8:08.75 |
| Heats |
2018 |
Hangzhou, CHN |
400m Individual Medley |
4:34.93 |
| Heats |
2018 |
Hangzhou, CHN |
200m Freestyle |
1:55.52 |
| 2 |
2018 |
Hangzhou, CHN |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
7:35.30 |
| 1 |
2016 |
Windsor, ON, CAN |
800m Freestyle |
8:10.17 |
| 1 |
2016 |
Windsor, ON, CAN |
400m Freestyle |
3:57.78 |
| 7 |
2016 |
Windsor, ON, CAN |
200m Freestyle |
1:54.49 |
| 2 |
2016 |
Windsor, ON, CAN |
4 x 200m Freestyle Relay |
7:38.65 |
World Cup |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 3 |
2022 |
Indianapolis, IN, USA |
800m Freestyle |
8:12.01 |
| 4 |
2022 |
Indianapolis, IN, USA |
400m Individual Medley |
4:33.24 |
| 16 |
2018 |
|
Overall Ranking |
|
| 2 |
2018 |
Budapest, HUN |
400m Freestyle |
3:58.94 |
| 8 |
2018 |
Budapest, HUN |
200m Freestyle |
1:57.11 |
| 5 |
2018 |
Budapest, HUN |
400m Individual Medley |
4:32.84 |
| 2 |
2018 |
Budapest, HUN |
800m Freestyle |
8:16.25 |
| 2 |
2018 |
Eindhoven, NED |
400m Freestyle |
4:01.31 |
| 5 |
2018 |
Eindhoven, NED |
400m Individual Medley |
4:35.48 |
| 7 |
2018 |
Eindhoven, NED |
200m Freestyle |
1:56.37 |
| 2 |
2018 |
Eindhoven, NED |
800m Freestyle |
8:15.42 |
| 7 |
2012 |
|
Overall |
|
| 2 |
2012 |
Berlin, GER |
800m Freestyle |
8:17.96 |
| 6 |
2012 |
Berlin, GER |
200m Freestyle |
1:58.81 |
| 2 |
2012 |
Berlin, GER |
400m Freestyle |
4:04.86 |
| 2 |
2012 |
Moscow, RUS |
400m Freestyle |
4:05.04 |
| 1 |
2012 |
Moscow, RUS |
800m Freestyle |
8:19.24 |
| 7 |
2012 |
Moscow, RUS |
200m Freestyle |
1:59.89 |
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