Glenbrook South grad Smoliga again proves to be among the world's best swimmers
Olympic gold medalist and Glenbrook South graduate Olivia Smoliga placed sixth out of 306 swimmers after the conclusion of the second season of the International Swimming League, held this year in Budapest, Hungary.
A co-captain of the Cali Condors - who rostered fellow gold medalists Caeleb Dressel, Townley Haas, Gunnar Bentz, Lilly King, Kelsi Dahlia, Melanie Margalis and Allison Schmitt - Smoliga helped her team win the team title in the ISL's points system.
Based on points assigned to finishing positions in races, individually Smoliga registered 277.50 points over 6 matches. Team USA and Condors teammates Dressel and King went one-two in the ISL's final coed standings.
In 2019, when the ISL competed in an international pool-hopping eight locations, Smoliga finished fifth overall with 174.5 points in four matches.
In the final match of the 2020 season, spread over Nov. 21-22, she placed sixth out of 105 swimmers. Smoliga won the 50-meter backstroke in 25.83 seconds, the 100 backstroke in 55.04 and led off a first-place 400 medley relay that with King, Dahlia and Erika Brown set a new world record at 3 minutes, 44.52 seconds.
Smoliga also placed fifth in the 50 freestyle and began a fourth-place 400 freestyle relay.
That 25.83 seconds she swam in the finals of the 50 backstroke approached the 25.74 seconds she swam it at Budapest's Duna Arena on Oct. 16, her first day of ISL competition to set a women's American record.
A gold medalist in the 400 medley relay and sixth-place finisher in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Smoliga turns 26 on Dec. 10.
Big boy, big honor
New Trier senior offensive tackle David Davidkov, who committed on April 27 to play football and attend the University of Iowa from among a reported 20 scholarship offers, has been selected as an All-American by the All-American Bowl and 24/7 Sports.
Ranked among the top 23 players at his position nationally and third in Illinois by Rivals, 24/7 Sports and ESPN, according to Sports Illustrated, the 6-foot-6, 295-pound Davidkov earned his All-American jersey in a virtual presentation on Nov. 25.
The 4-star recruit will thus be included as part of a television show, "All-American Bowl: Declaration Day," on Jan. 2 on NBC.
Normally Davidkov and the 99 other All-Americans would participate in both a combine and in the 21st All-American Bowl, initially scheduled for Jan. 9 at its usual site, the Alamodome in San Antonio. Both events have been postponed due to the coronavirus, though the combine may be rescheduled.
Over the years the All-American Bowl has seen performances by 450 NFL Draft picks, 160 Pro Bowl selections, 17 Heisman Trophy finalists and current stars such as Odell Beckham Jr., Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey and future hall of famers Adrian Peterson and Joe Thomas.