Willie Smith

Willie James Smith III (February 28, 1956 – November 7, 2020) was an American athlete 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.

College track career

Smith attended Auburn University, where he was a successful athlete for the Auburn Tigers. 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.

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.

At his new distance of 400 m., Smith quickly achieved national success, winning the 1978 and 1979 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships titles at the distance. Smith was also runner-up in the 400 meters at the 1978 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, behind Cal winner Billy Mullins whose title was later revoked due to academic ineligibility.

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. His reward in 1979 was a place on the American team for the Pan American Games at 400 m. Here he won bronze.

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. Years later, he did receive one of 461 Congressional Gold Medals created especially for the spurned athletes.

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. Smith said "It was a stupid mistake. I almost quit the sport."

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.

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

Rankings

Track and Field News ranked Smith among the best 400 m runners in the US and the world from 1977 to 1985.

USA Championships

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