University of Georgia Athletics
’It’s The Memories That Will Stick With You’
July 24, 2021 | Swimming & Diving, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Olivia Smoliga spent 54.06 seconds competing in the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday. The former Georgia star, a two-time NCAA champion in the 50-yard freestyle, led off the United States women's 4x100 freestyle relay team in its preliminary heat on the first day of competition at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.
Time in the pool is precious time. That's something that Smoliga was reminded of often during the past year-plus since the coronavirus pandemic shut down the world in 2020 and pushed the Tokyo Olympics back a year.
"I think we all have this really big gratitude that it's even happening — that we even get to go and we even get to experience it," she said before leaving for the U.S. swim team's training camp in Hawaii.
"This past year's been insane. I feel like a lot of people have grown. I don't want to speak for everyone, I'll speak for myself: I feel like I've grown throughout the challenges that we've faced."
In 2016, Smoliga made the Olympic team in the 100 backstroke and competed in the 4x100 medley relay. She helped the U.S. to a gold medal in the relay and placed sixth in the backstroke. In some ways her experience in Rio wasn't what she wanted it to be, she said.
"I did kind of feel like a spectator at the Olympics themselves," Smoliga said. "I was disappointed in my performance, but I was still grateful that I got to go."
That was five years ago, when she was still swimming for the Bulldogs. Smoliga has been a professional swimmer since 2017. At the 2019 world championships, she won the 50 backstroke, breaking her own American record, and placed third in the 100 back.
At last month's Olympic Trials, in Omaha, Neb., Smoliga placed third in the 100 backstroke again, missing out on second by .12 seconds. It was a huge disappointment — she'd won the event back in 2016 — and one that she had to get over pretty quickly because her meet continued and she still had a chance to make the team, in the 100 freestyle.
The key to letting it go, it turned out, was just letting it go.
"When I do get too serious, which happened to me at these Trials, I don't think it's beneficial to me," she said.
Two days after her disappointing 100 backstroke, Smoliga and her best friend and training partner, Natalie Hinds, a former Florida swimmer that trains with the ProDawgs in Athens, tied for the fastest time in the semifinals, touching in 53.55. In the final,
In the final, with Smoliga in lane four and Hinds in five, Smoliga finished third with a time of 53.63, earning her a spot on the relay squad. Hinds also made the relay, setting off a huge celebration between the buddies. On Saturday, Hinds had the fastest time for the U.S. in the preliminary heat.
"She barely missed it in the backstroke and then she comes back and drops over half a second off her best time, and makes the team. Hats off to her," under Jack Bauerle, Georgia's Tom Cousins Swimming and Diving Head Coach, who is with the U.S. team in Tokyo as a men's assistant coach.
Smoliga credited Bauerle and the training the swimmers have been doing for the past year-plus. They swam in backyard pools, they swam in community pools, they swam anywhere they could find a body of water bigger than a puddle.
"It's really cool that we have this representation," Smoliga said of the numerous Bulldogs competing in Tokyo. "I think it's a testament to what Jack provides on deck, how he pushes us even in a year that's so challenging. We were swimming in outdoor community rec pools and just making it work, making it work through all these ups and downs.
"We were really able to get through those ups and downs at the meet (Trials) because we were able to get through so many ups and downs this year."
During an interview in late June inside Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall, Smoliga was fully decked out in her 2020 U.S. team gear, made by the swimming brand Arena. Her Nike gear from 2016 — warmups, shirts, backpack and much more — is mostly back home with her parents in Chicago.
"I think I kept two shirts from 2016," she said with a laugh.
"I give things to my parents, or if I go and speak to my club team where I grew up, I'll give these things away. It's the memories for me, it's the feeling that I have that I hold on to. The gear is sick, though, I'm not going to lie [laughs]. Anyone will tell you, no matter where you go or what you achieve, it's the memories that will stick with you."
Good memories and bad, elation and disappointment. Smoliga is taking it all in, cherishing every second of her journey.
Staff Writer
Olivia Smoliga spent 54.06 seconds competing in the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday. The former Georgia star, a two-time NCAA champion in the 50-yard freestyle, led off the United States women's 4x100 freestyle relay team in its preliminary heat on the first day of competition at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.
Time in the pool is precious time. That's something that Smoliga was reminded of often during the past year-plus since the coronavirus pandemic shut down the world in 2020 and pushed the Tokyo Olympics back a year.
"I think we all have this really big gratitude that it's even happening — that we even get to go and we even get to experience it," she said before leaving for the U.S. swim team's training camp in Hawaii.
"This past year's been insane. I feel like a lot of people have grown. I don't want to speak for everyone, I'll speak for myself: I feel like I've grown throughout the challenges that we've faced."
In 2016, Smoliga made the Olympic team in the 100 backstroke and competed in the 4x100 medley relay. She helped the U.S. to a gold medal in the relay and placed sixth in the backstroke. In some ways her experience in Rio wasn't what she wanted it to be, she said.
"I did kind of feel like a spectator at the Olympics themselves," Smoliga said. "I was disappointed in my performance, but I was still grateful that I got to go."
That was five years ago, when she was still swimming for the Bulldogs. Smoliga has been a professional swimmer since 2017. At the 2019 world championships, she won the 50 backstroke, breaking her own American record, and placed third in the 100 back.
At last month's Olympic Trials, in Omaha, Neb., Smoliga placed third in the 100 backstroke again, missing out on second by .12 seconds. It was a huge disappointment — she'd won the event back in 2016 — and one that she had to get over pretty quickly because her meet continued and she still had a chance to make the team, in the 100 freestyle.
The key to letting it go, it turned out, was just letting it go.
"When I do get too serious, which happened to me at these Trials, I don't think it's beneficial to me," she said.
Two days after her disappointing 100 backstroke, Smoliga and her best friend and training partner, Natalie Hinds, a former Florida swimmer that trains with the ProDawgs in Athens, tied for the fastest time in the semifinals, touching in 53.55. In the final,
In the final, with Smoliga in lane four and Hinds in five, Smoliga finished third with a time of 53.63, earning her a spot on the relay squad. Hinds also made the relay, setting off a huge celebration between the buddies. On Saturday, Hinds had the fastest time for the U.S. in the preliminary heat.
"She barely missed it in the backstroke and then she comes back and drops over half a second off her best time, and makes the team. Hats off to her," under Jack Bauerle, Georgia's Tom Cousins Swimming and Diving Head Coach, who is with the U.S. team in Tokyo as a men's assistant coach.
Smoliga credited Bauerle and the training the swimmers have been doing for the past year-plus. They swam in backyard pools, they swam in community pools, they swam anywhere they could find a body of water bigger than a puddle.
"It's really cool that we have this representation," Smoliga said of the numerous Bulldogs competing in Tokyo. "I think it's a testament to what Jack provides on deck, how he pushes us even in a year that's so challenging. We were swimming in outdoor community rec pools and just making it work, making it work through all these ups and downs.
"We were really able to get through those ups and downs at the meet (Trials) because we were able to get through so many ups and downs this year."
During an interview in late June inside Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall, Smoliga was fully decked out in her 2020 U.S. team gear, made by the swimming brand Arena. Her Nike gear from 2016 — warmups, shirts, backpack and much more — is mostly back home with her parents in Chicago.
"I think I kept two shirts from 2016," she said with a laugh.
"I give things to my parents, or if I go and speak to my club team where I grew up, I'll give these things away. It's the memories for me, it's the feeling that I have that I hold on to. The gear is sick, though, I'm not going to lie [laughs]. Anyone will tell you, no matter where you go or what you achieve, it's the memories that will stick with you."
Good memories and bad, elation and disappointment. Smoliga is taking it all in, cherishing every second of her journey.
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
Georgia Swim and Dive - UGA Invitational Post Meet Video Recap
Friday, November 21
Georgia Swim and Dive Dual Meet Tournament Video Recap
Monday, October 20
Georgia Swim and Dive vs South Carolina Video Recap
Thursday, October 09
Georgia Swim and Dive Bulldog Invitational Video Recap
Sunday, March 02