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Williamsport's Smith wins Aquathlon World Championship
By: Williamsport Area High School | PIAA District IV | May 9, 2019
On May 2, 2019, Williamsport Area High School Junior, Lydia Smith, became a world champion, yes, a world champion. Lydia competed in the 2019 Pontevedra ITU Aquathlon World Championships and won the competition, over other female athletes in the 16-19 age group in Pontevedra, Spain. In November, 2018 Lydia competed in a qualifying Aquathlon event in Miami, Florida, doing so well, she qualified for this world championship event in Spain.
The Aquathlon is one of the simplest and most accessible forms of multisport, it consists of two legs, a swimming portion followed by a running portion. The official distances during Lydia’s world championship were a 1,000 Meter Swim followed by a 5K Run. The swim portion occurred in 57 degree water temperature.
Lydia's time of 37:05 captured first place by 18 seconds over Lona Gandon of France, followed by athletes from Australia and Great Britain in 3rd and 4th place, respectively.
Lydia is a 3-sport student-athlete at Williamsport Area High School, earning 10 varsity letters in her first three years of high school in the sports of soccer (1), cross country (3), swimming (3) and track & field (3). During this year, 2018-19, Lydia was the District II/IV Class AAA Cross Country Individual Champion plus won three gold medals in the District II/IV Class AAA Swim meet as well, earning trips to the PIAA State Championships in both sports. Lydia is one of the top point-getters on the spring, Lady Millionaire Track & Field team, who are preparing for league, district and state competitions over the next three weeks.
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