UVA’s NCAA Champion Swimmer, Leah Smith, Qualifies for Olympics

University of Virginia rising fourth-year Leah Smith finished second in the women’s 400-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at CenturyLink Center Monday night in Omaha, Nebraska, qualifying for Team USA at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

She is fully expected to be selected when USA Swimming announces the full team following the meet’s conclusion Sunday.

Smith finished in a time of 4 minutes, 0.65 seconds, a time that ranks second in the world this year. Smith is now the fourth-fastest all-time performer in the event. World record-holder Katie Ledecky won the race in 3:58.98.

Leah Smith, a four-time NCAA champion, placed second in the 400 freestyle behind world record-holder Katie Ledecky.

Earlier in the day, Smith won her heat and placed second overall in the preliminaries in a then-personal-best 4:03.14. Smith’s best time before Monday was 4:03.33, set in early June at the Arena Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis.

“We are so proud of Leah,” UVA assistant coach Cory Chitwood said. “She has worked for that swim every day she has showed up to the pool. On to Rio – but first let’s have some more fast swims in the 200-meter and 800-meter free!”

Smith is a four-time NCAA champion, winning the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyle events in both 2015 and 2016. She is an 11-time All-American and 10-time Atlantic Coast Conference Champion. She represented the U.S. at the 2015 FINA World Championships and the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships, winning gold with the 4x200-meter freestyle relay. Smith also won the 400-meter free at the 2015 World University Games.

UVA has had a swimmer at each Olympiad since the 1996 Atlanta Games. 

The Olympic Team Trials continue through Sunday. Smith is seeded fourth in the 200- and 800-meter freestyle. In all, 34 future, current or alumni swimmers from UVA are participating.