Julia Smit
Encyclopedia
Julia Elizabeth Smit is an American
swimmer
and two-time Olympic
medalist. She currently holds the world record in the 200 and 400-meter individual medley (short course).
She has won a total of seven medals in major international competition, four golds, two silvers, and one bronze spanning the Olympics and Pan American Games
.
major at Stanford University
. She graduated from Mount Sinai High School in Long Island, New York. Both of her parents were born in the Netherlands
. Her father, Peter, is a swim coach. Smit has an older brother, Mike, and a younger brother, Kevin, who are also swimmers.
As a college swimmer at Stanford
, Smit is a five-time NCAA champion, having won the 400 yard IM in 2008, 2009, and 2010 and the 200 yard IM in 2009 and 2010. Smit is the current American record holder in the 200 and 400 yard IM (short course), and 200 and 400m IM (short course).
, Smit won the gold medal in the 100 m backstroke, 200 m IM, 4x100 m freestyle relay, and 4x100 m medley relay. Smit also won a silver medal in the 200 m backstroke.
At the 2008 US Olympic Team Trials, Smit finished third in the 200 m freestyle and sixth in the 100 m freestyle, earning berths for the 4x100 and 4x200 meter freestyle relays. Smit also finished third in the 400 m IM at trials.
Smit was part of the silver medal winning team of the 4x100 m freestyle relay
and the bronze winning team in the 4x200 m freestyle relay
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
, after she swam in the heats of both.
On November 28, 2008, Smit set her first world record at the Canada Cup in Toronto
, breaking Kirsty Coventry's
short course 400 m IM record.
, in Rome
, Smit placed ninth in the 200 m IM (2:10.29), barely missing a place in the final. Smit also swam in the preliminaries of the 4x100 m freestyle, which placed fourth in the final, and the freestyle leg of the 4x100 m medley, which did not advance to the final.
At the 2009 Duel in the Pool
, Smit reclaimed the world record in the short course 400 m IM with a time of 4:21.04. One day later, she also broke the world record in the 200 m IM with a time of 2:04.60.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
swimmer
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and two-time Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
medalist. She currently holds the world record in the 200 and 400-meter individual medley (short course).
She has won a total of seven medals in major international competition, four golds, two silvers, and one bronze spanning the Olympics and Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
.
Personal
Smit is an anthropologyAnthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
major at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. She graduated from Mount Sinai High School in Long Island, New York. Both of her parents were born in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Her father, Peter, is a swim coach. Smit has an older brother, Mike, and a younger brother, Kevin, who are also swimmers.
Swimming career
As a high school student-athlete, Smit set New York State records in the 100 yard backstroke and 200 IM, swimming with the Three Village Swim Club.As a college swimmer at Stanford
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, Smit is a five-time NCAA champion, having won the 400 yard IM in 2008, 2009, and 2010 and the 200 yard IM in 2009 and 2010. Smit is the current American record holder in the 200 and 400 yard IM (short course), and 200 and 400m IM (short course).
2007-2008
At the 2007 Pan American Games2007 Pan American Games
The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to July 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic Committees competed in 332 events in 34 sports and in...
, Smit won the gold medal in the 100 m backstroke, 200 m IM, 4x100 m freestyle relay, and 4x100 m medley relay. Smit also won a silver medal in the 200 m backstroke.
At the 2008 US Olympic Team Trials, Smit finished third in the 200 m freestyle and sixth in the 100 m freestyle, earning berths for the 4x100 and 4x200 meter freestyle relays. Smit also finished third in the 400 m IM at trials.
Smit was part of the silver medal winning team of the 4x100 m freestyle relay
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.Also, in the final race of this event, Britta Steffen of Germany set a new women's 100 metre freestyle Olympic record of 53.38 as the lead-off swimmer for Germany...
and the bronze winning team in the 4x200 m freestyle relay
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.-Qualification summary:-Heats:-Final:...
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, after she swam in the heats of both.
On November 28, 2008, Smit set her first world record at the Canada Cup in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, breaking Kirsty Coventry's
Kirsty Coventry
Kirsty Leigh Coventry is a Zimbabwean swimmer and world record holder. She attended and swam competitively for Auburn University in Alabama, in the United States...
short course 400 m IM record.
2009
At the 2009 US National Championships and World Championship Trials, Smit won her first national title in the 200 m IM in 2:09.34, setting a new American record. Smit also placed second in the 400 m IM and fourth in the 100 m freestyle with a career-best 54.38. At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships2009 World Aquatics Championships
The 2009 World Aquatics Championships or the XIII FINA World Championships were celebrated in Rome, Italy in 2009 from July 17 to August 2. The 2009 Championships featured competition in all 5 aquatics disciplines: diving, swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo.Rome won...
, in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Smit placed ninth in the 200 m IM (2:10.29), barely missing a place in the final. Smit also swam in the preliminaries of the 4x100 m freestyle, which placed fourth in the final, and the freestyle leg of the 4x100 m medley, which did not advance to the final.
At the 2009 Duel in the Pool
2009 Duel in the Pool
The 2009 Duel in the Pool was a swimming competition between a team from the United States and a combined British, German and Italian "E-Stars" team held on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 December 2009 at the Manchester Aquatics Centre, United Kingdom...
, Smit reclaimed the world record in the short course 400 m IM with a time of 4:21.04. One day later, she also broke the world record in the 200 m IM with a time of 2:04.60.