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Len Smith

1906 – 1998

New Zealand swimmer

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About Len Smith

Lived 1906 – 1998 (aged 91). Len Smith was a New Zealand athlete.

Leonard Smith (29 July 1906 – 14 March 1998) was a New Zealand swimmer who represented his country at the 1934 British Empire Games in London.

Born in Whanganui in 1906, Smith was a farmer and a member of the Feilding Amateur Swimming Club. He won nine New Zealand national breaststroke titles: the 100 yards in 1939; and the 220 yards every year from 1929 to 1936. His best winning time for the 220 yards breaststroke was 3:01.4, which he swam in breaking his own New Zealand record at the 1935 national championships at the Tepid Baths in Auckland. He also held the national 100 yards breaststroke record, with a time of 1:15.6 clocked when he won the New Zealand title for that distance in 1939.

At the 1934 British Empire Games, Smith competed in the men's 200 yards breaststroke.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
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Also known as
Leonard Smith

People in Len Smith's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Len Smith's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Len Smith?

New Zealand swimmer (1906-1998)

When was Len Smith born?

Len Smith was born on 29 July 1906 in Whanganui.

When did Len Smith die?

Len Smith died on 14 March 1998.

What was Len Smith's occupation?

Len Smith was an athlete.

What nationality was Len Smith?

Len Smith was New Zealand.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Len Smith

· Wikidata: Q31339382

· DBpedia: Len Smith (swimmer)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Len Smith. https://biography.guide/len-smith-athlete/

MLA: "Len Smith." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/len-smith-athlete/.

Chicago: "Len Smith." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/len-smith-athlete/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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