Willie Smith (sprinter)

Willie Smith (born February 28, 1956) is an American athlete who was the national champion 400 metres runner in 1979-80, and won gold at the 1984 Olympics as part of the 4 x 400m relay squad.

College track career

Smith attended Auburn University. For them, he was a successful college athlete for their sports team, the Auburn Tigers. Smith arrived at Auburn as a nationally renowned high-school sprinter from his time at Uniondale High School, New York. He was Track and Field News "High School Athlete of the Year" in 1974.

Smith initially started his college career as a sprinter but graduated to the longer distance of 400 m. This change was necessitated because he suffered both from some injuries whilst running the shorter sprints and also because of emerging competition from other up-and-coming sprinters like Harvey Glance. Smith, however, was a successful enough 100 m sprinter to be an alternate for the United States 4 x 100m relay team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He had in fact finished fifth in the 100 m final at the United States Olympic Trials, and was placed in the third qualifying position up to 80 m of the race. . At his new distance of 400 m, Smith quickly achieved national success, winning two NCAA titles at the distance. Internationally, he won a silver at the 1977 World Student Games at 400 m.

In his graduation year of 1978, Smith received the accolade of his university's top honor as Athlete of the Year.

Later track career

After graduation, Smith continued as an athlete. He was twice United States National Champion at 400m, in 1979 and 1980. His reward in 1979 was a place on the American team for the Pan American Games at 400 m. Here he won bronze. 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.

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.

Smith was also a member of winning United States 4 x 400m 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 x 400m 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. Smith said "It was a stupid mistake. I almost quit the sport."

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 x400m relay squad for those games. The United States 4x400m 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. He is 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".

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. 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.

Since then he was worked at sporting camps for young people he has helped create.

In 1997, Smith was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

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.

Rankings

Smith was ranked among the best in the USA and the world in the 400 m from 1977 to 1985, according to the votes of the experts of Track and Field News.

USA Championships

Smith was a very successful competitor at 400 metres at the USA National Track and Field Championships between 1979 and 1983.: