Leah Smith<\/strong> competed in her final ACC championship race a little earlier than most expected when she swam in the first heat of the 1650 free. She finished in 15:31.49, which is expected to hold up as the meet’s top time and give Smith her fourth straight conference championship in the event.<\/p>\n

After the race, Smith sat down with\u00a0Swimming World’s\u00a0<\/em>David Rieder<\/strong> to discuss her final ACC meet and explain how she ended up in the first heat Thursday afternoon. Smith also reflected on her experience at the Short Course World Championships in December, where she won two individual gold medals.<\/p>\n

With her Virginia Cavaliers facing an uphill battle to win a tenth consecutive conference championship, Smith explained how the team was reacting to this potential setback while looking ahead to NCAAs. Smith also discussed her future in the sport and why she decided that she plans to continue swimming for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n