Olivia Smoliga started off her record breaking stretch at the Illinois State High School Championships where she won the 50 free in a new national high school record of 21.99 and the 100 backstroke in 51.43, also the fastest high school time ever. Garrett McCaffrey asked her about her feelings on the backstroke record knowing that Missy Franklin has chosen to swim high school this season. She then went on to get a best time at Nationals in Austin in the 100 Free (47.89) before heading to Istanbul Turkey as part of Team USA at the Short Course World Championships. In Turkey she won the 100 backstroke from an outside lane (56.64) and went on to get 2nd in the 50 back in a new American Record (26.13) eclipsing Natalie Coughlin’s mark in prelims and then breaking her own record two more times. Not a bad 4 weeks of work for the future Georgia Bulldog.
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About Garrett McCaffrey
No one lives the sport of swimming like Garrett McCaffrey. A Division I swimmer who spent 4 years covering the... Read More »
Great new talent on the rising ….. battles with Missy will come along the LC season .
Great interview, Garrett!! and Olivia!! Keep SHINING, Olivia!
with Natlie supposedly retired, the future of the women’s backstroke is going to have no problem whatsoever. Franklin is a lock, but the race for that second spot is going to be tight. going to feel sorry for that third place finisher.
Quite an athlete and young lady? Who is her club coach??
GO DAWGS so excited for her
Thank you Garrett for this great Christmas gift! 17 minutes and 23 seconds with the love of my life! “You’re beautiful. You’re beautiful. You’re beautiful, it’s true.” sings James Blunt. And yes Olivia is always so beautiful but she’s also stronger and stronger in the water. Congrats to her for her huge short course world championships. Until 2016 she’s clearly the main swimmer with Rachel Bootsma for the second spot behind Missy in the 100 back. Funny, they will also be rivals in NCAA. And Olivia will play eyes in the eyes with Cal backstrokers and will be the only swimmer able to beat them. I notice she has a very good freestyle too. On the TV pictures in Istanbul I have remarked she was also very tall. She has everything to be a star.
Great interview. She is so beautiful.