To say that rising-senior swimmer Leah Smith has had a spectacular 2016 would be an understatement.
At the ACC Championships in February, she broke the NCAA record in the 1,650 freestyle. A month later, she captured two titles at the national meet. And, at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials today, Smith finished second in the 400 free to punch her ticket to the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.
Posting a time of 4.00.65, Smith set a personal record and finished roughly two seconds behind 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Kaite Ledecky. With the top two in every event moving on to represent Team USA in Rio, Smith’s second-place finish will send her to the first Olympics of her career.
The U.S. Olympic Team Trials started yesterday, and they will continue through July 3. Including Smith, who has the chance to qualify in a couple of other events, 34 Cavaliers are competing in total. Three of these swimmers are alumni, 25 are returning to the team next year and six are incoming freshmen.
NBC and NBCSN will broadcast every race of this meet. The Rio 2016 Summer Olympics will begin Aug. 5.
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