Kierra Smith’s breakthrough season in the pool continued this week with a podium finish at the FINA World Cup in Tokyo, Japan.
The 21-year-old Kelowna swimmer won the bronze medal in the women’s 200-metre breaststroke, touching the wall in a time of two minutes 24:41 seconds.
A pair of Japanese swimmers, Rie Kaneto and Kanako Watanabe, finished 1-2 respectively.
It was Smith’s second major international medal this year. She won gold at the Pan American Games this summer in Toronto, setting an event record in the process.
In August, Smith placed eighth at the FINA world championships in Russia.
A graduate of Immaculata and a member of the Liquid Lightning Swim Club, Smith won the NCAA championship in the 200-yard breaststroke earlier this year as a member of the University of Minnesota Gophers.
Smith is taking a year off school to focus her efforts on qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio.
