Rebecca Smith, Swimming, Toronto

Burlington, Ont. – Rebecca Smith has been named IG Wealth Management Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Female Athlete of the Week, powered by Planters, for the period ending November 18, 2018.

Female Athlete of the Week – Rebecca Smith (Red Deer, Alta.) – 1st Year – Toronto Varsity Blues

The season may be young, and the swimmer may be new to the university scene, but that hasn’t stopped Toronto Varsity Blues Rebecca Smith from putting on a show in the early going this year.

Smith, a first-year swimmer from Red Deer, Alta., won two races and broke three records in leading the Varsity Blues women’s swimming team to two victories over the Laurier Golden Hawks and Queen’s Gales on Saturday evening at Varsity Pool. The life science major won the women’s 100 freestyle in what was both a meet and Blues rookie record time of just 54.92 seconds. The 2017 FINA world bronze medalist and 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medalist also won the 200 freestyle in a time of 2:00.13, topping the previous meet record by a convincing six seconds.

If there was any doubt that the talented swimmer was in mid-season form already, her time in the latter race would have been enough to capture the OUA title last season, while the former would have earned her silver; both of which are impressive results for this time of year.