America’s Kieran Smith Comes to Rescue as Country Squad Opens With Disappointing Start at Swimming World Cup 2023

The World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2023 began on a disappointing note for Team U.S.A. Despite sending a strong team to Berlin for the first leg of the World Cup, the fans were left with a bitter taste in their mouth after the completion of the 400-meter freestyle heats. The finals for the event are scheduled for later in the day. Is this start an indication of what lies ahead for Team USA, or can they turn things around in the upcoming finals?

Kieran Smith was the only swimmer from Team USA’s men’s division to secure a spot in the finals. Racing from lane five in the Men’s 400-meter Freestyle Heat 4, Smith had a slow start. In a hair-racing showdown between eight swimming icons which had two more American athletes, Kieran Smith made his own mark. 

Kieran Smith’s standout performance

World Aquatics’ official YouTube channel covered the whole event live. Kieran Smith whose stronghold lies in the 400-meter freestyle race entered the pool a little later than his rivals. The 23-year-old from Ridgefield, Connecticut, inspired hope for the first win of the day for the American team.

However, when he finished the first two laps of the race in the fifth position on the leaderboard all hope seemed lost. However, the swimming champ had an ace up his sleeve, that he unveiled at the opportune moment during the third split. Smith surged to the third position but there was a huge shuffle on the leaderboard. Sweden’s Victor Johansson climbed from the third rank to the top. An intense battle between the two ensued that had the fans glued to the screen.  

In the final 100 meters of the 400-meter race, Smith and Johansson went neck and neck. Meanwhile, the former’s teammates Charlie Clark and Joshua Brown consistently remained ranked at the lower end of the leaderboard. Smith took a slight lead in the last 50-meter split over the Swede but in the last outburst of energy, the latter took the victory. The American ace looked upset with the result as he took the second rank with 3.49.94 seconds. This frustrating result became the norm for Team USA as the women’s team fared no better. 

Team U.S.A’s women’s division suffer similar fate

The women’s 400 meter heat had Sianna Savarda and Claire Weinstein competing for qualification in respective heats of their own. First it was Sianna Savarda’s turn to fetch a victory for the team in the Heat 2 but she failed in her quest, passing the baton to Weinstein in the final heat. The 16-year-old swimming prodigy finished the race as the second runner-up with a total time of 4.09.60 seconds. 

Read More: USA Announces Men’s Freestyle, Backstroke, Butterfly, Breaststroke, and Relay Swimming Teams for Tokyo Olympics 2021

Thankfully, this was enough for her to qualify for the finals. With just one athlete qualifying from the men’s and women’s divisions, the American team is in a precarious position. The Swimming World Cup 2023 happens to be one of the qualifying events for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Given the state of the team, the United States is probably headed for more disappointment on the world stage.  

Watch This Story: Swimming Legend Michael Phelps’ Top 5 Iconic Career Races