17-year-old World Junior relay champ and World Champs relay medalist Rebecca Smith will join the University of Toronto’s program next year, the school announced today.
Smith was a prelims swimmer on Canada’s 4×100 mixed medley relay at the 2017 World Championships, earning a bronze medal for her efforts. She also helped Canada win the women’s 4×200 free relay at the World Junior Championships. She won relay silver (4×200 free) and bronze (4×100 free) at the 2015 World Junior Championships.
One of Canada’s better young swimmers, Smith should be a key pickup for Toronto’s college program. Here are her top times, all in long course meters:
- 100 fly: 58.07
- 50 fly: 26.22
- 100 free: 54.63
- 200 free: 1:58.59
- 50 free: 25.46
- 100 back: 1:02.31
She’ll join a Toronto roster that includes World champ and world record-holder Kylie Masse. Smith is currently part of the National Swim Centre training group in Toronto, and will remain in that area as she joins the University program in Toronto.
Here’s the full Toronto press release:
U TORONTO signs world medallist Rebecca Smith; will swim with Kylie Masse
Smith won the bronze medal at the Worlds in Budapest (prelim leg butterfly) and five medals at the recent World Juniors including two golds on the dominant Canadian relays and two individual medals in the butterfly events.
“Rebecca is a world class talent that will add immediate impact to our team here at the University of Toronto,” said head coach Byron MacDonald.
It will certainly give U of T a formidable 1-2 punch with Kylie Masse, the recent gold medalist and world record setter in the 100m backstroke.
Smith’s best times rank her as one of the very top recruits in the world for the class of 2018—Long course metres times being : 58.07/100butterfly; 26.22/50fly; 54.63/100freestyle & 1:58.59/200free. For short course metres Smith swam 53.33 & 1:52.99 for freestyle as well.
Smith hails from Red Deer Alberta but moved at age 16 to Toronto to swim at the National Swim Centre with coach Ben Titley and swimmers like Olympic gold medallist Penny Oleksiak.
“I am super excited about next year,” said Smith.