Leah Smith
2016 Olympic Gold and Bronze Medalist
Three-time World Champion, Four-time World Championship Medalist
American Record Holder in 800m freestyle (SCM)
2014, 2015, 2016 US National Team Member
2014 ACC Freshman of the Year
Four-time individual NCAA Champion – Most by a Virginia student-athlete (all sports)
NCAA Champion (4)
2016: 500 Free, 1,650 Free
2015: 500 Free, 1,650 Free
All-American (16)
2017: 500 Free, 200 Free, 1650 Free, 800 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay (HM)
2016: 200 Free, 500 Free, 1,650 Free, 800 Free Relay
2015: 200 Free, 500 Free, 1,650 Free, 800 Free Relay (HM)
2014: 1,650 Free, 800 Free Relay, 500 Free (HM)
ACC Champion (13)
2017: 500 Free, 1650 Free, 800 Free Relay
2016: 500 Free, 1,650 Free, 800 Free Relay
2015: 200 Free, 500 Free, 1,650 Free, 800 Free Relay
2014: 500 Free, 1,650 Free, 800 Free Relay
All-ACC (16)
2017: 500 Free, 1650 Free, 800 Free Relay, 200 Free (HM)
2016: 200 Free, 500 Free, 1,650 Free, 800 Free Relay
2015: 200 Free, 500 Free, 1,650 Free, 800 Free Relay
2014: 200 Free, 500 Free, 1,650 Free, 800 Free Relay
Virginia Career Bests
200 Free: 1:42.46 (1st all-time at UVa)
500 Free: 4:28.90 (ACC and UVA Record – 2nd-fastest performer in history)
1000 Free: 9:20.15 (ACC and UVA Record – 4th-fastest performer in history)
1650 Free: 15:25.30 (ACC and UVA Record – 3rd-fastest performer in history)
2016-17
• Double World Champion in 400m and 800m free at FINA Short Course World Championships
• Set American record in 800m free prelims in 8:07.67, also ranks as seventh-fastest performer in event
• Won 800m free final in 8:10.17
• Swam 3:57.78 to win 400m free, a new PB and ranks as third-fastest American in the event
• Earned silver medal with American 4x200m free relay in 7:38.65 – swam lead-off leg
• Placed seventh in 200m free in PB 1:54.49
• Second female in history to break 4:30 in the 500-yard freestyle
• Was the ACC Champion in three events
• Earned five All-America honors finishing with a career total of 16 honors
• Ranks third in school history for most ACC Championships and fourth in school history for most All-America honors
• Named to All-ACC Academic Team
• Recognized on the ACC Academic Honor Roll
2015-16
• Olympic gold medalist in 4×200-meter freestyle relay at Rio Olympics
• Earned Olympic bronze medal in 400m free and placed sixth in 800m free
• NCAA Champion in the 500-yard freestyle and 1,650 free
• All-America honors in the 200 free, placing sixth at NCAAs
• Earned All-America honors leading off the fifth-place 800 free relay that broke the ACC and UVA record (6:55.25)
• ACC Champion in the 500 free, 1,650 free and the 800 free relay
• Set NCAA record in the 1,650 free (15:25.30) and set NCAA record in the 1,000 free (9:20.15) during the mile
• All-ACC performer in the 200 free, placing second in a career-best time of 1:42.87, which ranks second on UVA’s all-time list
• Went undefeated in the 500 free (9 races), 1,000 free (4 races) and the 1,650 free (3 races) the entire season
• Also won the 200 free at the Georgia Fall Invitational and against Notre Dame, NC State and North Carolina
• Represented the United States at the Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool
• Won the 800-meter freestyle at the Duel in the Pool
• Named to All-ACC Academic Team
• Honored with IMP Award as Virginia’s top female student-athlete of the year
• Placed second in 400m free and 800m free to earn Olympic berth at U.S. Olympic Team Trials
• Finished third in 200m free to earn spot on 4x200m free relay at Olympic Trials
• Recognized on the ACC Academic Honor Roll
2014-15
• NCAA Champion in the 500 free and 1,650 free
• Finalist for the Honda Award
• Set an NCAA, ACC and UVa record in the 500 free (4:30.37) during prelims at the NCAA Championships
• Set a new ACC and UVa record in the 1,650 free (15:34.46) at NCAAs
• Earned All-America honors in the 200 free, placing seventh at NCAAs
• Also earned honorable mention All-America honors in the 800 free that finished ninth at NCAAs
• ACC Champion in 200 free, 500 free and 1,650 free
• Part of ACC Champion 800 free relay that broke the ACC and UVa record in 7:00.93
• Set a new career-best in the 200 free (1:43.80) at NCAAs
• Went undefeated in the 500 free (12 races), 1,000 free (2 races) and 1,650 free (4 races) the entire season
• Also won the 200 free against NC State
• Named to the All-ACC Academic Team
• Recognized on the ACC Academic Honor Roll
• World Champion with the U.S. 4x200m free relay at the FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia
• Represented the U.S. at the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea
• Earned gold in the 400m free and 4x200m free relay
• Placed fourth in the 200m free
• Broke the World University Games record in the 400m free with a time of 4:04.66.
2013-14
• 2014 ACC Freshman of the Year
• Earned All-America honors with a third-place finish in the 1,650 free in a school-record time of 15:42.04 at NCAA Championships, 11th-fastest in history (seventh-fastest American in history)
• Her 1,000 split in that mile was a school-record 9:30.19
• Led off the 800 free relay that placed fifth at NCAAs, earning All-America honors
• Took home Honorable Mention All-America honors with a ninth-place finish in the 500 free in 4:33.65, the third-fastest time in the NCAA and 10th-fastest in history (eighth-fastest American in history)
• Also placed 17th in the 200 free at NCAAs
• ACC Champion in the 500 free and 1650 free
• Led off the 800 free relay that was ACC Champion and broke the school record in 7:01.39
• Earned All-ACC honors with a second-place finish in the 200 free
• Won the 200 and 500 free and placed second in the 1,650 free at the Ohio State Invite
• Picked up 12 dual-meet wins (200 free – 2x, 400m free – 1x, 500 free – 3x, 800m free – 1x, 1000 free – 3x, 1650 free – 1x, 400 IM – 1x)
• Represented the United States at the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships in Gold Coast, Australia
• Won gold as part of the 4x200m free relay at the Pan Pacific Championships
• Finished ninth in the 400m free and 800m free at 2014 Pan Pacs
• Finished in the top six in four events at the Phillips 66 U.S. National Championships
• Placed third in the 200m free and 400m free, fifth in the 1,500m free and sixth in the 800m free
• Named to the U.S. National Team for three events (200m free, 400m free, 800m free), one of seven athletes to accomplish the feat
Background
• Placed 12th in the 800m free and 14th in the 400m free at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials
• Gold medalist and record holder in 400m free and 800m free and bronze medalist in 200m free at 2012 Junior Pan Pacific Championships
• 2012 Junior Pan Pacific Championships Swimmer of the Meet
• Also competed in 200m free at Trials
• Silver medalist in 400m free and bronze medalist in 800m free at 2011 Winter National Championships
• Member of the 2012-13 U.S. National Junior Team
• USA Swimming Scholastic All-American
• Member of the National Honor Society
• Scholastic All-American
Personal
• Daughter of Margee and Dan Smith
• Has two older siblings, Aileen and Daniel, and a younger brother, Neal
• Father, Dan, was a pole vaulter at UVa from 1982-86
• Sister, Aileen, is a swimmer for Columbia
• Comes from a rich family tradition of professional and collegiate athletes, including World Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion Billy Conn (great uncle) and World Series Champion Jimmy Smith (great-grandfather)