Leah Smith Approaches Olympic Trials Weighing Elite 400 IM, ‘Special’ 1500

Leah Smith; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Leah Smith Approaches Olympic Trials Weighing Elite 400 IM, ‘Special’ 1500

Leah Smith’s wait for her third Olympic Trials has been longer than she’d expected. But as the countdown ticks into its final days, the two-time Olympic medalist carries an enviable challenge into Omaha.

At her last two Trials, Smith’s program was straightforward. She swam the women’s 200 free, 400 free and 800 free in Omaha five years ago, qualifying for Rio in the latter two events and for the 800 free relay with a third-place finish in the 200. She yielded a bronze medal in the 400 in Rio, gold in the relay and sixth in the 800.

The racing slate in 2021 was already going to be complicated, in the best possible way, with the addition of the 1500 to the women’s events. But last week, Smith laid down a time of 4:37.39 in the 400 individual medley at the Jim Click Team Elite Intrasquad meet, a time worthy of serious Tokyo consideration.

So Smith faces what she called, in a conversation with Swimming World this week, “the potential for a crunch-time decision that I’ll have to make at the meet.” It’s a good problem to have, one the 26-year-old swimmer will sort through as her long-awaited Trials shot approaches.

Leah Smith; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

“With it being pushed back a year and I think a lot of things being canceled, there was no real guarantee that Trials or the Olympics would happen,” Smith said. “I think it just feels pretty crazy now. I’m definitely really looking forward to it and very thankful that we even get to go.”

Smith will have a busy start to the meet. Luckily, the 400 IM decision stands by itself, with prelims and finals on the first day of competition Sunday.

Smith’s time is not to be dismissed in the jockeying for Tokyo. Melanie Margalis is the prohibitive favorite, with a best time of 4:32.35. But Smith’s 4:37.39 is fifth among Americans since the start of 2019. Less than two seconds separate Smith from second in that ranking, Emma Weyant at 4:35.47. (That’s excepting Ella Eastin, who had gone 4:37.18 but recently retired).

The 400 IM is one of the most open women’s races in Omaha. Both Rio qualifiers – silver medalist Maya DiRado and sixth-place Elizabeth Beisel – have retired. Smith has never swum the 400 IM at Trials, and her only senior international competition in the event was at the 2017 World Championships, where she finished sixth.

The 400 IM compounds a busy early schedule. The 400 free prelims and finals are Monday. Tuesday brings the prelims double of the 200 free and 1500, with the 200 free semifinals at night. Wednesday presents a 200 free/1500 finals double before a merciful off day Thursday and two days of the 800.

Both of the Tuesday/Wednesday options have merits. A spot on the 800 free relay is an obvious carrot in the 200 free. But the 1500 holds special significance for Smith, a long overdue balancing of events between men’s and women’s competition and the ultimate test for one of the world’s premier distance specialists.

“I think that it will be really special to see that for the first time,” Smith said. “And I think that it’s definitely kind of shocking that there hasn’t been a 1500. I’ve spent my almost my entire life thinking that I didn’t want to do the 1500 because I couldn’t qualify for the Olympics in it. I’m happy that history will be made and hopefully a new generation of swimmers will want to swim that event because now they can dream of it on the biggest stage possible.”

Whichever events end up on her program, Smith will be ready. She’s not resting on the laurels of her past stature at a cutthroat meet like Trials. She’s been happy with how she’s performed at Pro Swim Series stops, where the adjustments to new COVID-19 protocols and the realities of a less raucous arena will be valuable. She counts her time in the International Swimming League bubble in Budapest as a member of the Tokyo Frog Kings as valuable preparation.

Smith is also a more poised swimmer than five years ago, thanks to the raft of international experience she’s accumulated since. She knows what it’s like to enter meets with expectations, and she’s flourished under those circumstances.

She’s ready to make Omaha the next entry on that list.

“I think I have more experience and more confidence in myself than I had in 2012 and 2016,” she said. “I’m definitely looking forward to being able to use that to my advantage at Trials and just have a fun meet where I’m just excited to race and happy to be there.”

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