Kieran Smith is a competitive swimmer who represents the United States internationally. He is an Olympic bronze medalist in the 400 free and a world champion and world record holder as a part of the 800 free relay.
High School
Coming out of high school, Smith was a 2-time NISCA All American and member of the national Jr team in 2017. At the 2017 World Jr Championships, he earned a silver medal in the 200 IM.
On SwimSwam’s NCAA Recruit Ranks for the class of 2018, Smith was ranked #8, and #11 on the re-rank. On June 21, 2017, Smith announced his verbal commitment to the University of Florida.
College (Florida)
2018-2019
Kieran Smith was an immediate impact swimmer for the gators. At his first SEC Champs, he started things off by helping Florida to an SEC title in the 800 free relay, splitting a squad-best 1:32.09. The next night, he was back with a title of his own, winning the 200 IM by just .02 in 1:43.13. The next night, he placed 2nd in the 400 IM (3:41.50) behind fellow freshman gator Robert Finke. He went on to place 13th in the 200 back (1:42.37).
At the NCAA Champs, Smith placed 8th in the 200 IM (1:44.23), 7th in the 400 IM (3:43.12), and 15th in the 200 back (1:41.36). He also legs on Florida’s 800 free relay, 200 free relay, 400 free relay, and 200 medley relay (fly).
2019-2020
Smith started things off with a bang in the postseason of his sophomore year at the 2020 SEC Championships. Leading off Florida’s 800 free relay, Smith became the 4th fastest performer all-time in the 200 free, blasting a 1:30.11 and helping Florida to an SEC title and meet record in the relay. On the 2nd night, he 1-uped himself, smashing the NCAA and American record in the 500 free with a 4:06.32. Overall, Smith dropped over 10 seconds in 1 day in the event. Smith kept his meet rolling, taking the 400 IM title in a dominant 3:37.31. He finished his meet with a 3rd place finish in the 100 free, registering another career-best time of 42.14.
Heading into NCAAs Smith was a heavy favorite in multiple events, but the meet was canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
2020-2021
Kieran picked up where he left off at the 2021 SEC Championships, leading off the 800 free relay in a huge personal best of 1:29.48, the #2 time in history. In the 500 free final, he tied his NCAA and American record time of 4:06.32. That night he also split 18.8 on Florida’s winning 200 free relay. He defended his title in the 400 IM the next day, winning in a near PB time of 3:37.47 while also anchoring Florida’s winning 400 medley relay (41.28) later that night. In his final individual event, Smith placed 3rd in the 100 free (42.11).
At NCAAs, Smith couldn’t quite repeat his times from SECs, clocking 4:08.07 in the 500 free to narrowly wind up 2nd to Georgia’s Jake Magahey. However, after leading off the 800 free relay in 1:29.66, Smith did win his first NCAA title, touching the wall first after a massive final 50 to overtake Texas’ Drew Kibler and stop the clock at 1:30.10. Smith rounded out his meet in the 100 free, finishing 6th in 41.89.
2021-2022
At what would be his final SEC Championships, Smith was noticeably less rested than years prior but continued to clock elite times. He led off Florida’s 800 free relay as always, this time in 1:30.42 to help the Gators take the win. On night 2, he split 18.7 to help UF win the 200 free relay by over a full second before placing 2nd in the 500 free (4:10.15). He went onto 3-peat in the 400 IM, touching first in 3:39.33 and once again anchor UF’s 400 medley relay to victory (41.70). Changing things up, he chose the 200 back as his 3rd event, taking the title in that by just .07, touching at 1:39.51 ahead of Texas A&M’s Ethan Gogulski.
At the NCAA Championships, Kieran led off UF’s 800 free relay in 1:30.66 in what was the deepest field in the history of the event, as Florida would finish in 7th with a time of 6:09.01. The next night, Smith finished 4th in the 500 free in a once again historically fast heat, touching at 4:08.68. To end night 2, however, Smith anchored Florida’s 200 free relay (18.59) to victory, coming within .03 of the NCAA record from 2009. Smith went on to finish 5th in the 200 free (1:31.27) and 4th in the 200 back (1:39.39).
International Career
2021 Olympic Trials
It was Kieran Smith against the clock in the men’s 400 free final, and the University of Florida swimmer got the job done as he torched his personal best and got well under the FINA ‘A’ cut in a time of 3:44.86, qualifying for his first Olympic team.
Kieran kept his momentum rolling on Night 3 in Omaha, winning the 200 free in 1:45.29 to qualify for his 2nd individual event.
2021 Olympic Games
To start off his Olympic career, Smith earned his first Olympic medal – a bronze on the 400 free. Smith was out strong and stayed in front of the pack most of the race, bringing it home well to touch 3rd in a time of 3:43.94.
After finishing 6th in the 200 free final (1:45.12), Smith led off the 800 free relay in a pb 1:44.74, giving the US an early lead which they weren’t quite able to maintain, finishing just off the podium at 4th place.
2022 World Championships
In Budapest, Smith won his first world title and helped avenge team USA’s 4th place finish from Tokyo in the 800 free relay. Swimming anchor in the 800 free relay, Smith dove in with a sizeable lead and extended it through the final 200 meters, splitting a field 2nd-best 1:44.35 to help USA win gold.
Individually, Smith made the final in both the 200 and 400 freestyle, finishing 6th and 7th overall.
2022 Short Course World Championships
Smith won his first individual world title in Melbourne, starting the meet off with the 400 free. After earning top seed with a 3:36, Smith blew the field away in the final, touching over half a second ahead of 2nd place with a 3:34.38 for a new championship and American record.
Smith helped USA continue their dominance in the 4×200 free relay, leading off in 1:41.04 en route to a new world record (6:44.12), breaking the old record and besting the field by over 2 seconds. He also anchored their bronze medal 400 free relay and swam prelims of the 200 medley relay, which went on to win silver.
Smith rounded out his meet by anchoring USA’s 400 medley relay (45.95), which was a thriller that saw USA and Australia tie for gold as well as the world record. Smith dove in ahead of both Italy and Australia but was passed by Italy’s Alessandro Miressi with 25 meters to go. However, Smith was able to fight back and re-pass Miressi and touch at jus the same time as AUS’s Kyle Chalmers, who not only passed Miressi after being nearly a second behind but recorded the fastest split in history (44.63).
2023 U.S. International Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)
In the 200 free prelims, Smith posted a smooth 1:46.10 season best to qualify 5th. In the final, he showed his experience as he got to the wall second behind Luke Hobson with a 1:45.63. He was able to edge Drew Kibler in the final.
In the 400 free, Smith again cruised through prelims with a 3:48.81. In the final, it was 200 free champ Hobson leading through the 250. Smith, after sitting 2nd behind Hobson, moved into 1st only to be overtaken himself by David Johnston by the 350. Down the stretch, Smith held off a charging Jake Mitchell to go 3:46.11 for second behind Johnston’s 3:45.75 best time.
2023 World Aquatics Championships (Fukuoka, Japan)
In the 400 free, Smith just missed the final with a 3:45.77 for 9th but is still a season-best. Smith was a little better placement-wise (but missed his season best) in the 200 free. He moved through prelims in 6th (1:46.38) and semis 7th (1:45.96) before placing 6th in the final ( 1:46.10). In the final, smith was excellent on his 2nd 50 (26.39) but faded down the stretch. Smith had his redemption on the 800 free relay where he anchored in 1:44.47, the 2nd-fastest split in the field, to earn silver.
2024 Olympic Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)
After easing through the 400 free prelims with a 3:48.16 for the 6th seed. In the final, the defending bronze medalist was undeterred by Aaron Shackell blazing out to a lead over the first 200 meters right next to him. Smith rode the lane line, drafting off Shackell. Smith closed on Shackell on the final 50 and nearly passed him but came just short at the touch, with Shackell touching first in 3:45.46 and Smith close behind in 3:45.76, with Shackell qualifying for his first Olympics and Smith likely qualifying for a 2nd Games. Both were well under the Olympic “A” standard, avoiding a repeat of the legendary 2021 Jake Mitchell time trial.
In the 200 free, Smith eased through prelims with a 1:46.77. In semis, Smith led the field with a 1:45.39. That race featured textbook splits of 24.7/26.47/27.12/27.10. That was his fastest 200 since 2022. In the final, Smith was out with nearly the exact same split as semis at the 100 with a 55.14 for 3rd. Down the back half, Smith was solid but could not find enough to break into the top 2, splitting 27.11/27.36 for a 1:45.61. He nearly got 3rd, placing 4th, just .01 seconds back of Drew Kibler with a 1:45.61. That added the 800 free relay to his schedule and locked in his Olympic berth.
