MISSION VIEJO, Calif. (AP) — If Katie Ledecky wasn’t setting world records and piling up Olympic medals, Leah Smith would be the top middle-to-long distance swimmer in the U.S. She’s been doggedly pursuing Ledecky’s relentlessly high standards for the last five years.
Smith has had her successes of her own, including Olympic medals, but as her coach Peter Richardson says, “Katie is the world’s best.”
And Smith is just fine competing in the same era.
“There’s no element of frustration for me that I’m not at a certain level. I base my goals off of what I think I’m capable of,” she said. “I enjoy racing her and I enjoy when she can elevate these races.”
Smith and Ledecky are competing at this week’s TYR Pro Swim Series in Mission Viejo, one of the last major meets before the U.S. trials in June.
Smith won the 800-meter freestyle with a time of 8 minutes, 24.46 seconds that was nearly 3 seconds faster than runner-up Ashley Twichell. Ledecky didn’t race the event.
In Friday’s 200 free, Ledecky won in 1:54.40, the fastest time in the world this year and over 4 seconds quicker than three-time Olympian Allison Schmitt, who was second. Smith finished second in the consolation final at 1:58.76.
Competition runs in Smith’s extended Irish-American family with deep roots in Pittsburgh. Her great-grandfather Jimmy Smith was an infielder who won the 1919 World Series with the Cincinnati Reds. Her great-uncle, boxer Billy Conn, twice fought Joe Louis for the heavyweight championship. The first time Conn lost by knockout in the last round despite being ahead on points. He lost again by knockout to Louis in the first televised heavyweight championship in 1946.
Smith’s father, Dan, was a pole vaulter at Virginia. Her brother and sister also swam collegiately,…
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