Former Gator and USA Olympic medalist Kieran Smith will among more than 30 student-athletes, past and present, taking part in graduation ceremonies this weekend.
Kieran Smith Adds Degree to Elite UF Career
Friday, August 7, 2026 | General, Men's Swimming & Diving, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – He only had to complete an internship to finish his University of Florida degree. Doing so, however, would take a commitment that could impact his other commitment.
That was the spring of two years ago. Eventually, standout swimmer Kieran Smith decided to put his academics pursuit on hold and stay focused on another pursuit one might consider significant.
The 2024 Summer Olympics.
"I wasn't ready to give it a go and compromise anything in the pool," Smith said. "My parents kept telling me I was only going to be a swimmer once and my [UF] advisors said I could always come back and finish. Adding academics into the Olympic Trials, it would have been too much. So, I think I made the right decision."
The medal he won in Paris would second that assessment.
Kieran Smith
Smith, 26, will be among the the 29 student-athletes taking part in graduation ceremonies this weekend, a number that includes 13 All Americans and five Southeastern Conference athletes of the year. Eleven will graduate with honors and nine with master's degrees.
With a spring and summer internship at Ballatore Strength in the bag, Smith will take his UF commencement walk – a degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology in tow – with his family from Connecticut in the house.
In the eight years since arriving on campus, where might this milestone rate?
"It's hard to answer that in relation to my athletic achievements," Smith said.
Fair enough, given those achievements.
Kieran Smith celebrates after winning the 200-meter freestyle at the 2021 NCAA championships.
Among his UF career highlights:
28-time All-American honors
Two-time NCAA champion (200-meter freestyle and 200 free relay)
Eight-time Southeastern Conference champion
2020 SEC Male Swimmer of the Year
Three-time SEC All-Academic Honor Roll
And then there are Smith's international achievements.
Two-time Olympian (2020 and 2024)
Two-time Olympic medalist (Bronze in the 400 free at Tokyo in 2020 and silver in 4x200 free at Paris in 2024)
Seven-time medalist at the World Championships (twice in long course, five in short course), including two gold medals.
Smith is still swimming competitively, having placed third in the 200 individual medley and eighth in the 200 free at the U.S. National Championships last week at Irvine, California.
"It's something I still really love to do," said Smith, who still works out with Gators coach Anthony Nesty in the O'Dome pool of his college years. "Training with the team at UF keeps me feeling young and energized."
He remains on the USA national team in the 400 free and has his sights set on chasing a spot on the 2028 Olympic squad in Los Angeles.
Smith is realistic about his chances.
"In the current climate of middle-distance swimming in America, it'll be harder than my previous two games," he said. "These up-and-coming young guys are going to be hungry. I think if I manage my recovery well, I'll need a lot of things to go in my direction to punch that ticket, but I wouldn't do it if I didn't think I had a chance."
No matter what happens, Smith will have his latest UF achievement – with a possible look at a career in massage or physical therapy – to fall back on.
![Images from the Florida Gators August 2024 Graduation event on Friday, August 9, 2024 at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville, FL. [Photo: Matt Pendleton Photography for Florida Gators Athletics]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Fgatorzone.com%2Fimages%2F2025%2F4%2F30%2FCap_commencement_detail_240809_1400_Matt_Pendleton_Photography_for_Florida_Gators_Athletics__1_.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
