It wasn’t quite enough for a medal, but Kelowna swimmer Kierra Smith still had reason to celebrate her accomplishments at the at FINA World Championships this week in Doha, Qatar.
The 20-year-old Smith finished in fourth place in the women’s 200 metre breaststroke, while establishing a new personal best.
Smith finished behind Japan’s Kanako Watanabe and Rie Kanetou while Denmark’s Rikke Moeller Pedersen took bronze.
The final was Smith’s second personal best effort of the day, as she dropped more than three seconds off her previous PB in the morning heats.
“It’s good, it will keep me hungry,” said Smith, a member of the University of Minnesota Gophers program. “It’s frustrating to come fourth but I surprised myself coming in here and making a final. I did everything I could but I choked on water on the third to last turn and I am sure that slowed me down. I can work on it and learn from it.”
The Liquid Lightning swim club member also finished 11th at the worlds in the 100m breaststroke.
Emil Dimitrov, Kierra’s coach in Kelowna, believes medals at the international level are attainable for Smith.
“She needs to know in her own mind that she’s able to win at any given level before can step on a podium,” Dimitrov said. “She’s physically able to compete at worlds but she just needs to be convinced of it herself. “
It was the second fourth-place effort this season for Smith at a major international event.
She placed just off the podium this summer at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
Her best time at that event was 2:25.19.
Smith is back at the University of Minnesota for a week of exams before returning to Kelowna for Christmas break. Her next Canadian competition will be Pan Am Games Trials in Toronto in April 2015.
