As of Nov. 15, senior swimmer Olivia Smoliga owned three state records. She had won four individual state championships and had come in fourth in the 100 meter backstroke at Olympic Trials.

Since then, Smoliga has won two more individual state titles, set two national high school records and placed in the top eight of three events at Winter Nationals. And at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, Smoliga finished her year with a gold medal in the 100 meter backstroke and an American record in the 50 meter backstroke, good enough for a silver medal.

Smoliga finished the meet with four medals (the aforementioned two as well as a bronze in the 400 medley relay and a gold in the 400 freestyle relay), the most of any American woman and behind only Ryan Lochte (who had eight) for the most of any American.

Her 100 backstroke time of 56.64 seconds is the ninth best time in world history, and her American record-setting 50 back time of 26.13 seconds is the sixth best all time. Of Americans, only Olympian Natalie Coughlin has completed a faster 100 meter backstroke in short course.

According to Steve Iida, Smoliga’s coach at Glenview Titan Aquatic Club (GTAC), getting her ready was difficult after she had been “tapered” (the process of lessening practice yardage to maximize speed at important meets) for the state meet, and that difficulty was confounded when Smoliga got sick prior to the meet.

“For Worlds, we had a scare,” Iida said. “Olivia became sick so we had to adjust the taper. In general, after [the] IHSA State Meet, we had to get her back in shape. Not that she wasn’t in swimming shape. Coach [Kelly] Timson [South women’s head swimming coach] did a fantastic job during girls’ season. But Worlds is a five-day-long competition and this requires a swimmer of her caliber to be ready for each day.”

Iida worked with Smoliga on her strength and dolphin kicks for the competition, with the hope of getting her in prime condition for her to race. According to Iida, this is the key to short course, and the additional wall played to her strengths in Istanbul.

Smoliga will continue to train with GTAC through next summer in preparation for her next taper meet, the Summer FINA World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, from July 19 to Aug. 4, 2013. She will then continue her career by swimming collegiately with the University of Georgia beginning next fall.