After missing most of the fall and winter seasons, 2017 World Champ powerhouse Leah Smith was back at the Mesa Pro Swim. She notched several wins and some solid in-seaons:
- 200 free – 1:59.1
- 400 free – 4:07
- 800 free – 8:31
Leah Smith, Katie Ledecky – 2016 Olympic Games in Rio -courtesy of simone castrovillari
Leah moved from Virginia to Arizona, following her coach Cory Chitwood, and she’s been MIA so long (missing the last two Pro Swim competitions), swim fans may have been wondering if she was still on track. Clearly she is, and she’s dangerous. Over the last two years Leah’s shown she’s a force in the sport.
With the high stakes this summer at U.S. Nationals (Team USA selections for the 2018 Pan Pac and 2019 World Champ squads), how fast will Leah swim? Based on the last two years, I think she’ll pop a PB in at least one event. I don’t know which. I’d love to see a PB in the 800m free, anything under 8:15, and I’d like to see a 1:55 low 200 free. 400m free is the barrier. Can she dip under four minutes? Can she put more pressure on swim-star and teammate Katie Ledecky? What do you think?
You can follow Leah Smith on Twitter here.
RECENT EPISODES
This is a Gold Medal Media production presented by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a Swimming News website.
I am very excited for Leah smith and the next few years, one of the most versatile U.S women swimmers. Also a side note I think she is very attractive. Her bf is a lucky guy.
I wonder if she will continue swimming the I’m. 4:33 virtually her first time swimming it – she’s got potential there
virtually her first time swimming it
Or, rather, virtually our first time paying attention.
This year there are high stakes involved in making the team in at least one event. Beyond that, stakes are low. Anyone on the team can swim anything at Pan Pacs, and qualification for next year iare based on times swum at Pan Pacs as well as Nationals.
Thanks, Mel! Until watching this video I was under the (mis-) impression that Leah was swimming with Bowman + Schmidt at ASU! I’m a little disappointed because I was hoping Bowman could help her become a force in the 400 IM, but as long as Leah is happy, she’ll be swimming well, so I’m happy for her.
I see what you’re saying, but I also think it’s very wise to stay with the coach that has helped you develop and breakout. Smith could always do a training camp with Bob/ASU. I’m a big believer in training camps with other coaches. A change of scenery and new ideas are great creative ingredients w/o disrupting an entire season-plan that has worked for an elite year over year.
Dangerous to whom?
…the way Smith has popped fast swims over 2016 and 17—-dangerous. Most of us are always focused on the big stars ( and Ledecky does block the sun) but it’s swimmers like Smith who build a great careers and wow us on the big stage.
U are right Mel – she had an incredible Budapest Champs and is going a bit under the radar – but she can go a 400 IM , 200 free , 400 free , 800 free & bring serious results . This year , the 800 free relay with Her , Ledecky , Schmitty + ? will be pretty fast .
Dangerous to anyone not named Ledecky in the 400 free
After swimming 4:00.6 at Olympic Trials the prognosis were very strong that 4min barrier would be broken very soon. Well..We are still waiting … That makes some people sceptical.
But meanwhile we got 500y under 4:29, she bettered her pb at 800 by more than 2 sec, she joined prestigious 1:55 club in 200. I think she is getting ready for under 4 min in 400
She is dangerous to everybody who is not getting her seriously.
Were not those scy times 2017? ( I don’t really follow ) & if they were good then the 2017 summer season without the burden of ncaa should see some improvement .
However this is 2018 & the only champs is PP . Ariarne may be there but there are no 2019 World spots on offer as there are for US swimmers . My knowledge of that programe is steady as she goes , just putting in the work & aiming further down the line . Ariarne would not bothered by Leah . With some closer competitors than 7 secs . Ariarne might like LS as both tend to be more 400 swimmers than 800 but dhe can easily beat… Read more »
We don’t really know if spectacular 400FR race at OT would be the top performance in LS swimming career. We don’t know if the following 4:28 (500SSCY), and 8:18 and 1:55 were signs of continuing progress that will lead to the break of 4 min barrier. Or she just updated her PBs in other events. And that would be it for Leah. But why not to assume that LS hasn’t reached her top yet. She is a very reliable competitor. She may have more hidden resources than young Chinese and Australian girls.
We need to see more of Ariarne Titmus to understand what we are dealing with. By far we have only one spectacular meet of 17 year old… Read more »
Smith is in no way comparable to Missy . Missy is multiple World & Olympic champ & world record holder . As I see it Missy had some back problems 2014 》but that is understandable after reaching those heights .
American girls have to get by LS for a spot in the 400/800 certainly . But that is not an international concern . Maybe a young US girl can jump up but how far are they behind , quite a way . So interest is in Chinese Japanese Canadian , & Aust 16-17!year olds .
Leah Smith has a big motor but if she wants to reach another level then she should go to Nice under Fabrice Pellerin not to improve but to fix her bad current freestyle technique. He’s a magician. Look at what happened to Lotte Friis after only a few months of training there. She performed amazingly at 2013 worlds in Barcelona. Look at what happened to the late Camille Muffat. She was an IMer and has become a great freestyler with a wonderful technique. He has built Yannick Agnel and led him to the 200 free olympic gold. And right now Charlotte Bonnet is among the best girls in the world in the 100 free/200 free. He’s all about technique and… Read more »
Smith might also go train with Ledecky.
Well… what would you say about Janet Evans’ technique? When I first saw her races I thought that she’s never learned the basic, that she doesn’t know what a drag is, that she couldn’t afford swimming lessons and that the person who coached her had a swimming experience not much longer than Janet’s one.
Maybe the right approach for Leah Smith is not to copy what other swimmers are rightly doing but to stay with what is what fit her naturally best.
She IS the second ever fastest swimmer at 400FR. She IS the second fastest in 500yards. Muffat was never that fast. If this coach is that good why all his stars have been leaving him at… Read more »
I would have loved to see Angel continue with him. I wonder how close he could have gotten to 1:42.0 if he had kept training through Rio
BOBO – the way swim pros travel and train, I think a training camp in NICE would be fun. If it can benefit Smith, as you’ve argued, all the better. If it doesn’t, she’s had a nice visit to NICE.
Relevant to the video from Leah’s twitter:
https://twitter.com/lgsmith19/status/700383101365653505
hi all, very unrelated but looking for some advice – my daughters are swammers and we figured out we have about a dozen gently-used or like-new practice suits. I think some may be more or less brand-new though are without tags to prove it. is there a good way to donate these suits to someone in need? local y or a swimming outreach program or the like? would hate for them to go to waste especially since buying practice suits can be so expensive and burdensome to some families, but am no longer in a swimming community so I don’t know anyone personally. thank you!
Maybe you could reach out to your local YMCA or Boys & Girls Club. Or perhaps the Make a Splash Foundation at USAS could give you some direction. Love what you are trying to do!