Rebecca Smith (born 14 March 2000) is a Canadian swimmer. She represented Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in the 4×100 metre freestyle relay, and is a multi-medallist at the World Aquatics Championships, World Swimming Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.
Career
editAt the 2017 World Championships in Budapest Smith was part of the bronze medal-winning team in the 4 × 100 m mixed medley. Later in 2017 Smith was also part of the gold medal 4 × 200 m freestyle 2017 World Junior Swimming Championships team in Indianapolis. In the process the team broke the junior world record and championship record.[2]
In September 2017, Smith was named to Canada's 2018 Commonwealth Games team.[3][4]
In the Autumn of 2019 she was member of the inaugural International Swimming League (ISL) swimming for the Energy Standard International Swim Club, who won the team title in Las Vegas, Nevada, in December.[5] In spring 2020, Smith signed for the newly formed Toronto Titans, the first and only Canadian team in the ISL.[6]
In June 2021, she qualified to represent Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[7] Smith won a silver medal as part of the Canadian team in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay, alongside Kayla Sanchez, Maggie Mac Neil and Penny Oleksiak.[8]
At the 2022 World Aquatics Championships, Smith swam in the heats of the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay. She was replaced by Mac Neil in the event final, but shared in the team's first-ever silver medal win at the World Championships in a relay.[9] She also competed in the heats of the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay for the Canadian team, helping to the event final, where she was replaced by Taylor Ruck. She shared in the team's bronze medal win.[10][11] Later in the summer, named to Canada's team for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Smith won a bronze medal in the mixed 4 × 100 m freestyle relay.[12] On the second day of competition, she finished eighth in the 100 m butterfly and won a bronze medal in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay. Teammates Maggie Mac Neil and Katerine Savard did the same double. Smith said she was "a little disappointed with my swims tonight."[13] Smith swam the freestyle anchor leg in the heats of the 4 × 100 m mixed medley, but was replaced by Ruslan Gaziev in the final. She received a silver medal after the team finished second there.[14][15]
Smith continued competing domestically during 2023, but did not appear in international competition while focusing on completing her nursing degree at the University of Calgary.[16] While many of Canada's top swimmers opted to skip the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Smith was named to the team.[17] She said she viewed Doha has "a really great stepping stone leading into Olympic trials in May. I'm just excited to get in there and race and see where I'm at."[16] On the first day of swimming finals, Smith participated in the 4×100 m freestyle relay, where Canada won a bronze medal.[18] With Maggie Mac Neil absent, she then swam the butterfly leg for Canada in the 4×100 m medley relay, winning another bronze medal.[19]
References
edit- ^ "Gold Coast 2018 profile". 2018 Commonwealth Games. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ "Penny Oleksiak, Canada win relay gold at world junior swimming championships". Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 23 August 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- ^ "Swimming Canada Nominates 26 Athletes to Canada's 2018 Commonwealth Games Team". www.swimming.ca/. Swimming Canada. 26 September 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- ^ "Oleksiak, Masse headline Canadian swim team for Commonwealth Games". www.cbc.ca/. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). 26 September 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- ^ "Club Rosters – International Swimming League". Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "TORONTO TITANS - Canada's 1st and only professional swimming team". Archived from the original on 28 October 2022.
- ^ "Red Deer's Rebecca Smith named to Canada's Olympic swim team". Red Deer Advocate. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- ^ "Penny Oleksiak powers Canadian women to 1st medal of Tokyo Olympics". CBC Sports. 24 July 2021.
- ^ Steiner, Ben (18 June 2022). "Canada's Summer McIntosh, 15, swims to silver at world aquatics championships in Budapest". CBC Sports.
- ^ "McIntosh and Masse win gold to highlight historic night at Worlds". Swimming Canada. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
- ^ "Teen swimming sensation Summer McIntosh leads Canadian medal haul with world title, relay bronze". CBC Sports. 22 June 2022.
- ^ "Summer McIntosh wins gold, Canada adds relay bronze to open Commonwealth Games". Swimming Canada. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ "Maggie Mac Neil and Nicolas-Guy Turbide win thrilling races on four-medal night". Swimming Canada. 30 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
- ^ Rieder, David (2 August 2022). "Emma McKeon Anchors Australian Mixed Medley Relay to Gold; Record-Setting 19 Commonwealth Medals". Swimming World. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ "Joshua Liendo golden to lead three-medal night". Swimming Canada. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ a b Gustafson, Ian (9 November 2023). "Red Deer's Rebecca Smith to compete for Canada at World Aquatics Championships". Red Deer Advocate. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Katerine Savard to lead Canadian swim team devoid of Olympic stars into aquatics worlds". CBC Sports. 7 November 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Swimmer Taylor Ruck anchors Canada to world bronze in women's 100-metre relay". CBC Sports. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Medley bronze caps successful Worlds for Canada". Swimming Canada. 18 February 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
External links
edit- Rebecca Smith at the International Swimming League (archived)
- Rebecca Smith at World Aquatics
- Rebecca Smith at SwimRankings.net
- Rebecca Smith at the International Swimming League
- Rebecca Smith at Olympics.com
- Rebecca Smith at Olympedia
