University of Minnesota Athletics
Olympian Smith Excited for Last Year at Minnesota
9/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Of the seven Golden Gophers at the Olympics in Rio, only one of them was a current student-athlete. Canadian Kierra Smith is back on campus with an Olympic final on her résumé and one more season to represent the Maroon and Gold.
Smith took the 2015-16 collegiate season off to train for the Summer Games. Her years of training paid off with Canada's top 200-meter breaststroke time, and finally a trip to Brazil.
"The first day, the competition pool wasn't open, so the second day we finally got to go inside and see it," Smith said. "It was amazing. The rings on top of the pool. The stands. It was an arena setting. It was so exciting leading up to the meet and being around all those Olympians, knowing that they're all so hard-working and have the same goals that you do, and how they've dreamt of this their whole life. The energy was so cool and I was really happy to be there."
Smith's competition schedule started with the 100 breast. She then was able to focus on her better event, the 200. Despite her experience at conference, NCAA, national and international meets, Smith was struck by the atmosphere at the Olympic pool.
"I was tenfold more nervous than I thought I would be," she said. "It was nothing that anyone could have described-the emotions of seeing your family up in the stands and being in an Olympic final. I think it's something you need to experience for yourself to be able to prepare yourself for it. It was really special and overwhelming."
Smith went on to finish seventh in the 200 breast on the world's biggest stage for her sport. In an interview soon after the race's conclusion, she expressed disappointment in her time. Now she has had more than a month to reflect on her accomplishment.
"I realized after the meet when I thought about it how impressive it was to make a final at the Olympics and I need to be happy with that, and I am really happy with that," Smith said. "But it's hard in the moment because you're going for a medal. Going into the race you don't want to come in seventh. So in the moment, yeah, I was disappointed I went a 2:23 because the podium was right there, and I know with a bit more experience I could be there with the perfect race. But I'm so happy that I made a final. I'm really proud of what I did. It got me really ready to work toward 2020 because I know there's more in me.
"After my 200 breaststroke I got to go up into the stands and go and see my family. I had 15 people there watching me, so I had a big group, and they were all so excited and having a blast. I think they had more fun than I did there. I got a lot of energy from them, and it was so special having them there."
Smith explored Rio during the second week, after swimming was done. She frequented Copacabana Beach and watched her fellow Canadians compete in sports like track and field, volleyball and water polo.
"Getting to and support Canada in other events was really special, and to get to do that with Olympic teammates, other swimmers, and to bond with them, to have that week with no pressure."
Before leaving Rio, Smith was already looking ahead to the 2020 Games.
"Definitely during the closing ceremonies I was so sad the Olympics were ending," she said. "I just can't wait for the next four years. I just think of the past four years, and how I was a Gopher the entire time and how much fun I had working towards that goal. I'm so excited for the next four years and where they'll take me and where I'll be by 2020."
While looking forward to 2020, Smith is not overlooking 2016-17. The 2015 NCAA champion and four-time Big Ten champion has one more year in school and plans to savor it.
"I took last year off school," Smith said. "Part of it was to focus on the Olympics, but the other part was so that I could focus this year fully on NCAAs and Big Tens because it's my last time getting to compete for the Gophers like that. Transitioning back, it's so natural for me to be a Gopher now. It's my favorite thing. I'm so proud that I can represent them. I'm looking forward to defending the 200 breast title at NCAAs and going to Big Tens and hopefully winning as a team and helping any way that I can there. It's so great to be back on the team."
Smith will lead a strong breaststroke corps which includes sophomore Rachel Munson, who made the NCAA Championships in both distances as a freshman. Freshman Lindsey Horejsi, who was recently named to USA Swimming's 18&Under World 100, promises to have an immediate impact.
"We're in the same training group," Smith said. "Getting to train beside her has been really great."
Along with a new training partner, Smith has some new ink. She was so nervous after getting the Olympic rings stenciled on her arm that she left the tattoo shop and didn't come back for a week. By that time she was ready to commit.
"The minute I got it, I knew. I'm so happy with it."
Those rings will remind Smith of what she has already accomplished and of what she wants to do four years from now. But first she has a degree to finish, and more Big Ten and NCAA titles to seek.
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