Kieran Smith (born May 20, 2000) is an American swimmer specializing in freestyle and individual medley events. He currently co-holds short course world records in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay and the 4×100-meter medley relay. He was the former Americas record holder in the long course 400-meter freestyle and the former American record holder in the 500-yard freestyle.
In the 400-meter freestyle, he won the bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics and the gold medal at the 2022 World Short Course Championships. Following a fourth-place finish in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics, he won gold medals in the event at the 2021 World Short Course Championships, 2022 World Aquatics Championships (long course), and the 2022 World Short Course Championships.
Early life and education Smith grew up in Ridgefield, Connecticut and graduated from Ridgefield High School in 2018. Smith attends the University of Florida where he competes collegiately as part of the Florida Gators and set the American and NCAA records in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:06.32 at the 2020 SEC Championships.
Career Early career In 2016 and 2017, Smith was named Connecticut High School Coaches Association "Swimmer of the Year". In 2017, he qualified for the US National Junior Team and earned a silver medal at the 2017 Junior World Championships in the 200-meter individual medley.FINA (August 24, 2017). "6th FINA World Junior Championships 2017: Men's 200m Individual Medley Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved November 19, 2021. He also placed fourth in the 400-meter individual medley and eleventh in the 200-meter backstroke at the Championships.FINA (August 28, 2017). "6th FINA World Junior Championships 2017: Complete Results Book". Omega Timing. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
At the 2018 FINA World Swimming Championships in Hangzhou, China in December 2018, Smith placed 13th in the prelims heats of the 400-meter individual medley with a 4:08.52.FINA (December 15, 2018). "14th FINA World Swimming Championships 2018 Hangzhou (CHN): Men's 400m Individual Medley Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 8, 2022. In the prelims heats of the 4×200-metre freestyle relay, Smith led-off the relay consisting of him, Jack Conger, Jacob Pebley, and Zach Harting with a 1:43.30 to help qualify the relay to the final ranking second.FINA (December 14, 2018). "14th FINA World Swimming Championships 2018 Hangzhou (CHN): Men's 4x200m Freestyle Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 8, 2022. For the finals relay, all prelims relay members except for Zach Harting were substituted out and the relay placed fourth overall.FINA (December 14, 2018). "14th FINA World Swimming Championships 2018 Hangzhou (CHN): Men's 4x200m Freestyle Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
During his second year competing collegiately for the Florida Gators, Smith set the 500-yard freestyle American, NCAA, SEC, and Florida records with a 4:06.32 at the 2020 Southeastern Conference Championships in February 2020, which broke the record of 4:08.19 set by Townley Haas in 2019.Neidigh, Lauren (February 19, 2020). "Kieran Smith Smashes NCAA, American Record With 4:06.3 500 Free". SwimSwam. Retrieved November 19, 2021.Ross, Andy (February 19, 2020). "Kieran Smith Blasts New American Record With 4:06 500 at SECs". Swimming World. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
For the 2019–2020 season, his second year, Smith received the "Male Swimmer of the Year" award from the Southeastern Conference."2020 SEC Swimming & Diving Awards announced". Southeastern Conference. April 15, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2021. At the 2020 U.S. Open Swimming Championships, held in a virtual format in November 2020, he won gold medals in the 200-meter freestyle, with a 1:47.29, and the 400-meter freestyle, with a 3:48.78, as well as a bronze medal in the 800-meter freestyle with a 8:00.05.Hy-Tek (November 16, 2020). "2020 Toyota US Open Championships – Compiled Results" . USA Swimming. November 22, 2022.
2021 During his junior year with the Florida Gators, Smith tied his American record in the 500-yard freestyle, swimming a 4:06.32 at the 2021 Southeastern Conference Championships.Ross, Andy (February 24, 2021). "Kieran Smith Ties 500 Freestyle American Record; Pulls Magahey to 4:06 at SEC Men's Swimming Championships". Swimming World. Retrieved November 19, 2021.Sutherland, James (February 24, 2021). "Kieran Smith Ties 500 Free American Record in 4:06.32; Magahey Now #2 All-Time". SwimSwam. Retrieved November 19, 2021. His performances at the 2020 and 2021 Southeastern Conference Championships earned him the "Swimmer of the Meet" award at each Championships.Dziak, Mark (February 28, 2021). "Kieran Smith Repeats As SEC Championship Swimmer Of The Meet In 2021". SwimSwam. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
At the 2021 US Open Water Championships, Smith placed seventh in the 5-kilometer open water swim with a time of 1 hour and 13 seconds, and placed tenth in the 10-kilometer open water swim in 2 hours, 12 minutes, and 32 seconds.USA Swimming "2021 USA Swimming Men's 5K National Championship". United Sports Service. Retrieved November 19, 2021.USA Swimming "2021 USA Swimming Men's 10K National Championship". United Sports Service. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
2020 US Olympic Trials Smith qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games in the 400-meter freestyle and the 200-meter freestyle, winning both events at the 2020 USA Swimming Olympic Trials.USA Swimming (June 13, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wave II: Men's 400m Freestyle Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved November 19, 2021.USA Swimming (June 15, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wave II: Men's 200m Freestyle Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved November 19, 2021. In the prelims, semi-finals, final structure of the 2020 US Olympic Trials, Smith was the only male swimmer to meet the Olympic qualifying standard time in the 400-meter freestyle."Swimming Trials: Kieran Smith wins 400m free, hits standard". NBC Olympics. Retrieved November 19, 2021. He posted new lifetime bests of 3:44.86 in the 400-meter freestyle and 1:45.29 in the 200-meter freestyle. Smith was the first swimmer at the 2020 US Olympic Trials to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in more than one individual event.Hart, Torrey (June 15, 2021). "Kieran Smith becomes first 2-event Olympic qualifier at Swimming Trials". NBC Olympics. Retrieved November 19, 2021. In the 200-meter individual medley, Smith swam a personal best time of 1:57.23 and finished third overall, not making the US Olympic Team in the event as only the top two event finishers, Michael Andrew and Chase Kalisz, qualified for the team.USA Swimming (June 18, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wave II: Men's 200m Individual Medley Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved November 19, 2021. For the 100-meter freestyle, Smith swam a 49.40 and placed 20th overall in the prelims heats, not advancing to the semi-finals of the event.USA Swimming (June 16, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wave II: Men's 100m Freestyle Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
2020 Summer Olympics
The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic were Smith's first Olympic Games."Ridgefield Swimmer Headed to Tokyo Olympics". NBC Connecticut. June 14, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2021. On July 25, 2021, Smith won a bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle, finishing in 3:43.94. Smith's individual bronze medal was his first Olympic medal in any, individual or relay, event and the first Olympic medal for the United States in the 400-meter freestyle since 2012.Vanoni, Maggie (July 26, 2021). "Ridgefield's Kieran Smith finishes 6th in 200-meter freestyle". Connecticut Post. Retrieved November 19, 2021. In the 200-meter freestyle, Smith was the only American to make it to the final of the event on July 27, placing sixth with a time of 1:45.12.Lessard, Rick (July 26, 2021). "Ridgefield native Kieran Smith takes 6th in 200m freestyle". WTIC-TV. Retrieved November 19, 2021. The next day, July 28, Smith split the fastest lead-off leg of the 4×200-meter freestyle relay across all finals relay teams with a personal best time of 1:44.74, which was approximately one second faster than the next-fastest lead-off swimmer and helped the United States relay consisting of him, Drew Kibler, Zach Apple, and Townley Haas place fourth with a time of 7:02.43.Omega Timing; Atos (August 1, 2021). "Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: Swimming Results Book" . International Olympic Committee. Retrieved November 19, 2021. A crowd of about 70 people welcomed Smith back to his hometown of Ridgefield, Connecticut following the Olympic Games in a Meet and Greet format after his parents had a car pick him up from the airport so they could surprise him when he arrived at the house.Vanoni, Maggie (August 13, 2021). "Olympic bronze medalist Kieran Smith welcomed back to Ridgefield: 'This is my home'". The Ridgefield Press. Retrieved November 19, 2021. Smith's swims for 2021, up to the end of August, were fast enough for him to earn spots in the 200-meter freestyle, 400-meter freestyle, and 200-meter individual medley on the 2021–2022 U.S. National Team.USA Swimming (September 10, 2021). "USA Swimming National Team Roster 2021–22". Swimming World. Retrieved November 19, 2021.Lepesant, Anne (September 10, 2021). "USA Swimming Names 114 Athletes To The 2021–22 National Team Roster". SwimSwam. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
2021–2022 Collegiate season beginnings Day one of the 2021 Georgia Tech Fall Invitational, November 18, Smith won a total of four events in one night for the Florida Gators, which included the 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley, 4x50 yard freestyle relay, and 4x100 yard medley relay.Gibbs, Robert (November 18, 2021). "Kieran Smith Goes 4–4; UGA Women Also Dominant, At Georgia Tech Invite Day 1". SwimSwam. Retrieved November 19, 2021.Rieder, David (November 18, 2021). "Big Day for Kieran Smith (500 Free, 200 IM and Relays) at Georgia Tech Invite". Swimming World. Retrieved November 19, 2021. The next morning, November 19, Smith raced in three individual events, swimming a 3:49.43 in the 400-yard individual medley, 47.27 in the 100-yard butterfly, and a 46.95 in the 100-yard backstroke.Hart, Torrey (November 19, 2021). "2021 GT Invite Day 2 Prelims: Florida's Kieran Smith Rattles Off 3 More Swims". SwimSwam. Retrieved November 19, 2021. Later in the day, in the finals session, Smith placed second in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 3:46.95, fifth in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 46.80 seconds, and first in the 4x200 yard freestyle relay in 6:14.99 where he split a 1:32.66 for the lead-off leg of the relay.Gibbs, Robert (November 19, 2021). "Georgia Tech Invite: Day 2 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved November 19, 2021. Smith's swims earned him the Southeastern Conference, SEC, honor of "Men's Swimmer of the Week" for the sixth week of the collegiate season."Week 6: Swimming & Diving Athletes of the Week". Southeastern Conference. November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
2021 World Short Course Championships