Vicki Smith produced the outstanding swimming performance of the Irish team at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, finishing 2nd in her heat and 11th fastest of the 21 competitors in the women’s 200 metres butterfly – a new event on the Olympic programme in 1968 – in a result that remains one of the finest ever achieved by an Irish swimmer in Olympic competition.

The 15-year-old held three 100m and three 200m butterfly national titles at the time of her selection and was the youngest member of the Irish swimming team in Mexico. Her preparation was affected by an ankle injury she carried to the Games. She competed in the 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay alongside her teammates. The OCI appointed a chaperone, Jane McVeigh, to accompany Smith and Ann O’Connor to Mexico given their youth.