Calvin Smith
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Calvin Smith (born January 8, 1961) is a former sprint athlete from the United States. He is a former World Record holder in the 100 metre sprint, and was twice World Champion over 200 metres.
Smith was undoubtedly one of the best sprinters in the world in the 1980s, though for most of his career Smith, who was a quiet and unassuming character, ran in the shadow of the more charismatic American sprinting great Carl Lewis.
Smith set the 100 metre world record on July 3 1983, at Colorado Springs, with a run of 9.93 seconds. In doing so he, broke the previous record set by Jim Hines, which had lasted for almost 15 years. (Both Hines' and Smith's records were set at high altitude.)
At the inaugural Athletics World Championships in 1983, Smith claimed Gold Medals in the 200 m and the 4 x 100 m relay (which the US won in World Record time), as well as a Silver Medal behind Lewis in the 100 m.
1983 also saw Smith become the first athlete to run under 10 seconds (9.97) for the 100 m and under 20 seconds (19.99) for the 200 m in the same evening in Zurich, Switzerland.
At the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Smith won a Gold Medal as part of the US 4 x 100 m relay team, again establishing a new World Record in this event.
At the 1987 World Championships, Smith successfully defended his 200 m Gold. (At that time, the World Championships were held once every four years, whereas presently they are held every two years.)
At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Smith was involved in the most controversial Olympic 100 m final of all time and ended-up receiving the Bronze Medal. Ben Johnson of Canada crossed the line first, with Lewis second, Linford Christie of Great Britain third, and Smith fourth. But Johnson then tested positive anabolic steroids and was stripped of his Gold Medal. Smith was thus upgraded to the Bronze Medal position. Smith missed out on what seemed like a likely Gold Medal in the 4 x 100 m relay in Seoul because the US did not reach the final following a disqualification for passing the baton outside the legal area.
Smith continued to run for the US into the 1990s. In the later years of his career, he was named captain of the US athletics team at major events including the Olympic Games and World Championships.
His running style was unusually smooth and was far more about speed than strength. At a time when rumors - justified or not - bedevilled many top sprinters, there was never a hint of drug use with Smith, and it has been argued by some that he was the last categorically clean record holder for the 100 m. As evidence, he lacked the hypertrophied physiques of his rivals.
Major Achievements
- 1983
- Set 100 Metre World Record of 9.93 seconds in Colorado Springs, USA
- 1983 World Championships - Helsinki, Finland
- 200 m Gold Medal
- 4 x 100 m Relay Gold Medal (set World Record of 37.86 seconds)
- 100 m Silver Medal
- 1984
- 1984 Olympic Games - Los Angeles, USA
- 4 x 100 m Relay Gold Medal (set World Record of 37.83)
- 1984 Olympic Games - Los Angeles, USA
- 1987
- 1987 World Championships - Rome, Italy
- 200 m Gold Medal
- 1987 World Championships - Rome, Italy
- 1988
- 1988 Olympic Games - Seoul, South Korea
- 100 m Bronze Medal
- 1988 Olympic Games - Seoul, South Korea
- 1992
- 1992 IAAF World Cup - Havana, Cuba
- 100 m Bronze Medal
- 4 x 100 m Relay Gold Medal
- 1992 IAAF World Cup - Havana, Cuba