NEW: Providence's Kim Smith finishes 15th in Olympic marathon

NEW: Providence's Kim Smith finishes 15th in Olympic marathon

Providence resident Kim Smith placed 15th in today's Olympic marathon for her native New Zealand. In her third Olympic appearance, the 30-year old finished with a time of 2:26:59, roughly a full minute-and-a-half slower than her personal record of 2:25:21.

The wet conditions and uneven surface of the marathon course proved to be a challenge for Smith, who fell out of the lead pack with only six miles to go. She crossed the finish line nearly four minutes behind race winner Tiki Gelana of Ethiopia, whose time of 2:23:07 set a new Olympic record.

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It was a disappointing result for Smith, who finished fifth in the New York City marathon in both 2010 and 2011. The 2005 graduate of Providence College also holds the record for the most individual NCAA championships of any individual runner in the school's history, with four.