Willie James Smith III (February 28, 1956 – November 7, 2020)[2] was an American athlete[3] who was the national champion 400 metres runner in 1979-80, and a gold medal winner at the 1984 Olympics in the 4 × 400 m relay.
Smith started his college career as a sprinter. He then switched to the longer distance of 400 m., prompted by injuries incurred in shorter sprints, and by the emergence of competition from up-and-coming sprinters like Harvey Glance.[4] Despite this, Smith was a successful enough 100 m. sprinter to be an alternate for the United States 4 × 100 m. relay team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Having finished fifth in the 100 m. final at the United States Olympic Trials, he was placed in the third qualifying position up to 80 m. of the race.[8][9] At his new distance of 400 m., Smith quickly achieved national success, winning two NCAA titles at the distance.[4][10]
When he graduated in 1978, Smith received his university's top honor of Athlete of the Year.[6]
Later track career
After graduation, Smith continued as an athlete. He was twice United States National Champion at 400m., in 1979 and 1980.[11] His reward in 1979 was a place on the American team for the Pan American Games at 400 m. Here he won bronze.[1] Smith, as American No. 1 was expected to be the main rival to the great Cuban athlete Alberto Juantorena. In the end, a foot injury and a problem with a shoe, plus an inspired piece of running by his American colleague Tony Darden, meant it was Darden and not him who beat Juantorena into second.[12]
In 1983, he competed at the inaugural IAAF Athletics World Championships in the American 4 × 400 m. relay team. However, he collided with a competing Soviet Union runner on the third leg, falling, leaving the American final leg runner, the great 400 m. hurdler Ed Moses, with no chance of victory despite his valiant but vain effort to catch the leaders - the team eventually finished down the field.[15] Smith said "It was a stupid mistake. I almost quit the sport."[13]
In 1984, Smith finished sixth in the 400 m. final at the United States Olympic Trials for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics thus qualifying to be part of the 4 × 400 m. relay squad for those games.[8] The United States 4 × 400 m. relay team came first and Smith received an Olympic gold medal by virtue of having run a leg for the team in a qualifying heat and the semi-final.
In 1988, he attempted again to qualify for the Olympics, as a 32-year-old. He failed, finishing 8th in a semi-final of the 400 m. trial at the United States Olympic Trials.[8] He was reported as working then full-time as a television news director. Smith himself at the time wondered about "what makes him run" and considered the attempt at making the Olympic team like "a bad habit. It gets in your blood".[16]
In 1996, Smith attempted to compete at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics as a 40-year-old. His struggle was chronicled in the New York Times.[13] He unfortunately did not qualify, even with advice from the elder statesmen of track coaching Brooks Johnson and Mel Rosen (his old college coach). He, however, did set a master's record.[6]
Since then he has created and worked at sporting camps for young people.[17]
In 1997, Smith was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.[6]
In 2000, he was honored as one of 6 new stars in Auburn's Tiger Trail, Auburn University's replica of Hollywood's walk of fame.[18]
Rankings
Track and Field News ranked Smith among the best 400 m runners in the US and the world from 1977 to 1985.[19][20]
400 meters
Year
World rank
US rank
1977
6th
3rd
1978
3rd
2nd
1979
4th
2nd
1980
6th
1st
1981
5th
4th
1982
-
-
1983
-
7th
1984
-
6th
1985
-
9th
USA Championships
Smith was a very successful competitor at 400 metres at the USA National Track and Field Championships between 1979 and 1983:[21]
USA Championships
Year
400m
1979
1st
1980
1st
1981
3rd
1982
-
1983
4th
References
^ abEvans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. . Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
^"Auburn Olympian, National Champion Willie Smith Passes Away". Auburn University Athletics. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
^"Profile". all-athletics.com. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
^ abc"Smith has world's fastest clocking", Gadsden Times, May 12, 1978.
^"Track & Field News - The Bible Of The Sport Since 1948". Trackandfieldnews.com. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
^ abcd"Willie Smith: Class of 1997", Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
^T&FN High School Boys Athletes of the Year, Track and Field News.
^ abcThe History of the United States Olympic Trials - Track & Field, R Hymans, USA Track & Field, 2008
^"Auburn's Smith Makes Olympics", The Tuscaloosa News, June 27, 1976.
^"Eleven Auburn Athletes Headed To NCAA Indoor Championships", March 7, 2006. Auburn Track and Field. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
^USA Outdoor Track and Field Champions, Men's 400 m, USA Track and Field.
^"Jantorena out-kicked in Pan-Am 400 Meters", Associated Press, Observer-Reporter, Washington Pa, July 13, 1979.
^ abc"Smith's Race Against (Father) Time", Marc Bloom, January 31, 1996, New York Times.
^Caroccioli, Tom; Caroccioli, Jerry (2008). Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Highland Park, IL: New Chapter Press. pp. 243–253. ISBN978-0942257403.
^"World Games Over", The Bryan Times, August 15, 1983.
^"Smith and Glance Attempting To Attain 4th Olympic Team", Nathan Huang, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, June 17, 1988.
^"Willie Smith offers Olympic-class Training", Robert Carter, July 3, 2009. North Jefferson Times.
^"Six honorees see name in downtown walk of fame", September 7, 2000, theplainsman.com. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
^A History Of The Results Of The National Track & Field Championships Of The USA From 1876 Through 2003, Track and Field News, Retrieved June 17, 2012.
willie, smith, sprinter, willie, james, smith, february, 1956, november, 2020, american, athlete, national, champion, metres, runner, 1979, gold, medal, winner, 1984, olympics, relay, willie, smithpersonal, informationbirth, namewillie, james, smith, iiination. Willie James Smith III February 28 1956 November 7 2020 2 was an American athlete 3 who was the national champion 400 metres runner in 1979 80 and a gold medal winner at the 1984 Olympics in the 4 400 m relay Willie SmithPersonal informationBirth nameWillie James Smith IIINationalityAmericanBorn 1956 02 28 February 28 1956 1 Rochester Pennsylvania U S DiedNovember 7 2020 2020 11 07 aged 64 Height5 ft 8 in 1 73 m Weight161 lb 73 kg SportSportRunningEvent s 400 metersCollege teamAuburn TigersAchievements and titlesPersonal best s 400m 44 73 s 1978 Medal record Men s AthleticsRepresenting the United StatesOlympic Games1984 Los Angeles 4x400 m relayAthletics World Cup1979 Montreal 4x400 m relay1981 Rome 4x400 m relayPan American Games1979 San Juan 400 metresWorld Student Games1977 Sofia 400 metres Contents 1 College track career 2 Later track career 3 Rankings 4 USA Championships 5 References 6 External linksCollege track career EditSmith attended Auburn University where he was a successful athlete for the Auburn Tigers 4 Smith arrived at Auburn as a nationally renowned high school sprinter from his time at Uniondale High School New York Track and Field News named him High School Athlete of the Year in 1974 5 6 7 Smith started his college career as a sprinter He then switched to the longer distance of 400 m prompted by injuries incurred in shorter sprints and by the emergence of competition from up and coming sprinters like Harvey Glance 4 Despite this Smith was a successful enough 100 m sprinter to be an alternate for the United States 4 100 m relay team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics Having finished fifth in the 100 m final at the United States Olympic Trials he was placed in the third qualifying position up to 80 m of the race 8 9 At his new distance of 400 m Smith quickly achieved national success winning two NCAA titles at the distance 4 10 Internationally Smith won a silver medal at the 1977 World Student Games at 400 m When he graduated in 1978 Smith received his university s top honor of Athlete of the Year 6 Later track career EditAfter graduation Smith continued as an athlete He was twice United States National Champion at 400m in 1979 and 1980 11 His reward in 1979 was a place on the American team for the Pan American Games at 400 m Here he won bronze 1 Smith as American No 1 was expected to be the main rival to the great Cuban athlete Alberto Juantorena In the end a foot injury and a problem with a shoe plus an inspired piece of running by his American colleague Tony Darden meant it was Darden and not him who beat Juantorena into second 12 Smith finished second in the 400 m final at the United States Olympic Trials for the 1980 Olympics He was unable to compete due to the United States boycott of those games A defeat of the Olympic champion Viktor Markin was little consolation 13 Years later he did receive one of 461 Congressional Gold Medals created especially for the spurned athletes 14 Smith was also a member of winning United States 4 400 m relay teams in the 1979 and 1981 IAAF Athletics World Cups In 1983 he competed at the inaugural IAAF Athletics World Championships in the American 4 400 m relay team However he collided with a competing Soviet Union runner on the third leg falling leaving the American final leg runner the great 400 m hurdler Ed Moses with no chance of victory despite his valiant but vain effort to catch the leaders the team eventually finished down the field 15 Smith said It was a stupid mistake I almost quit the sport 13 In 1984 Smith finished sixth in the 400 m final at the United States Olympic Trials for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics thus qualifying to be part of the 4 400 m relay squad for those games 8 The United States 4 400 m relay team came first and Smith received an Olympic gold medal by virtue of having run a leg for the team in a qualifying heat and the semi final In 1988 he attempted again to qualify for the Olympics as a 32 year old He failed finishing 8th in a semi final of the 400 m trial at the United States Olympic Trials 8 He was reported as working then full time as a television news director Smith himself at the time wondered about what makes him run and considered the attempt at making the Olympic team like a bad habit It gets in your blood 16 In 1996 Smith attempted to compete at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics as a 40 year old His struggle was chronicled in the New York Times 13 He unfortunately did not qualify even with advice from the elder statesmen of track coaching Brooks Johnson and Mel Rosen his old college coach He however did set a master s record 6 Since then he has created and worked at sporting camps for young people 17 In 1997 Smith was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame 6 In 2000 he was honored as one of 6 new stars in Auburn s Tiger Trail Auburn University s replica of Hollywood s walk of fame 18 Rankings EditTrack and Field News ranked Smith among the best 400 m runners in the US and the world from 1977 to 1985 19 20 400 meters Year World rank US rank1977 6th 3rd1978 3rd 2nd1979 4th 2nd1980 6th 1st1981 5th 4th1982 1983 7th1984 6th1985 9thUSA Championships EditSmith was a very successful competitor at 400 metres at the USA National Track and Field Championships between 1979 and 1983 21 USA Championships Year 400m1979 1st1980 1st1981 3rd1982 1983 4thReferences Edit a b Evans Hilary Gjerde Arild Heijmans Jeroen Mallon Bill et al Willie Smith Olympics at Sports Reference com Sports Reference LLC Archived from the original on April 18 2020 Retrieved July 7 2012 Auburn Olympian National Champion Willie Smith Passes Away Auburn University Athletics Retrieved May 14 2021 Profile all athletics com Retrieved May 23 2012 a b c Smith has world s fastest clocking Gadsden Times May 12 1978 Track amp Field News The Bible Of The Sport Since 1948 Trackandfieldnews com Retrieved September 30 2016 a b c d Willie Smith Class of 1997 Alabama Sports Hall of Fame T amp FN High School Boys Athletes of the Year Track and Field News a b c The History of the United States Olympic Trials Track amp Field R Hymans USA Track amp Field 2008 Auburn s Smith Makes Olympics The Tuscaloosa News June 27 1976 Eleven Auburn Athletes Headed To NCAA Indoor Championships March 7 2006 Auburn Track and Field Retrieved September 14 2012 USA Outdoor Track and Field Champions Men s 400 m USA Track and Field Jantorena out kicked in Pan Am 400 Meters Associated Press Observer Reporter Washington Pa July 13 1979 a b c Smith s Race Against Father Time Marc Bloom January 31 1996 New York Times Caroccioli Tom Caroccioli Jerry 2008 Boycott Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games Highland Park IL New Chapter Press pp 243 253 ISBN 978 0942257403 World Games Over The Bryan Times August 15 1983 Smith and Glance Attempting To Attain 4th Olympic Team Nathan Huang Sarasota Herald Tribune June 17 1988 Willie Smith offers Olympic class Training Robert Carter July 3 2009 North Jefferson Times Six honorees see name in downtown walk of fame September 7 2000 theplainsman com Retrieved September 10 2012 World Rankings Index Men s 400 meters PDF Track and Field News U S Rankings Index Men s 400 meters PDF Track and Field News A History Of The Results Of The National Track amp Field Championships Of The USA From 1876 Through 2003 Track and Field News Retrieved June 17 2012 External links EditWillie Smith featured on NBC s Daytime AlabamaAwardsPreceded byCraig Virgin Track amp Field News High School Boys Athlete of the Year1974 Succeeded byHouston McTear Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Willie Smith sprinter amp oldid 1106315641, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
