Calvin Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Calvin Smith

Personal information
Nationality	American
Born	(1961-01-08) January 8, 1961 (age 64) Bolton, Mississippi
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight	152 lb (69 kg)
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Sprints
College team	Alabama Crimson Tide
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	100 m: 9.93 s (Colorado Springs, 1983) 200 m: 19.99 s (Zürich, 1983)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 1984 Los Angeles 4×100 m relay Bronze 1988 Seoul 100 m World Championships Gold 1983 Helsinki 200 m Gold 1983 Helsinki 4×100 m relay Gold 1987 Rome 200 m Silver 1983 Helsinki 100 m

Calvin Smith, born on January 8, 1961, is a famous American track and field athlete. He was an amazing sprinter who held the world record for the 100-meter sprint in 1983. Calvin also won the World Championships twice in the 200-meter race, in 1983 and 1987. In 1984, he became an Olympic champion as part of the 4x100-meter relay team. He was born in Bolton, Mississippi.

Calvin Smith's Early Life and Career

Calvin Smith grew up in Bolton, Mississippi. He went to Sumner Hill High School in Clinton, Mississippi. Later, he had a fantastic college career at the University of Alabama.

On July 3, 1983, Calvin set a new world record for the 100-meter race. He ran it in just 9.93 seconds at the U.S. Olympic Festival in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This broke the old record that had stood for almost 15 years!

World Championships Success

At the very first World Championships in 1983, Calvin won two gold medals. He took gold in the 200-meter race and in the 4x100-meter relay. The U.S. team even set a new world record in that relay! He also won a silver medal in the 100-meter race, finishing just behind Carl Lewis.

In August 1983, Calvin made history again in Zurich, Switzerland. He became the first athlete to run the 100-meter race in under 10 seconds (9.97 seconds) and the 200-meter race in under 20 seconds (19.99 seconds) on the same evening!

Olympic Games Highlights

At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Calvin became an Olympic champion. He was part of the U.S. 4x100-meter relay team that won gold. They also set another new world record in this event!

In 1987, Calvin successfully defended his 200-meter title at the World Championships. Back then, the World Championships happened every four years. Now, they happen every two years.

At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Calvin was part of a very talked-about Olympic 100-meter final. He originally finished fourth. However, the first-place runner, Ben Johnson, was later disqualified. This meant Calvin was moved up to third place, earning him a bronze medal.

Calvin missed out on a likely medal in the 4x100-meter relay in Seoul. His U.S. team was disqualified from the final because they passed the baton outside the allowed area.

Calvin continued to run for the U.S. national team into the 1990s. In his later career, he was chosen as captain for the U.S. track and field team at big events like the Olympic Games and World Championships.

Calvin's Personal Life

Calvin Smith is married to Melanie, whom he met in college. They have two children, a daughter named Brittney and a son named Calvin Smith Jr..

Calvin stopped competing in athletics in 1996. For two years, he worked as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama. After that, he moved with his family to Tampa, Florida. There, he has worked in many different jobs. Currently, he works for a non-profit group that helps people get medical care.

Calvin Smith's Achievements

Calvin Smith was ranked among the best sprinters in the USA and the world for many years. Experts from Track and Field News voted on these rankings from 1980 to 1993.

International Competitions

Personal Best Times

Calvin's 19.99-second run in the 200m made him only the second person ever to run the 100m in under 10 seconds and the 200m in under 20 seconds. Carl Lewis had done it just 66 days before him.

World Records and Best Times

Calvin Smith set several world records and world best times during his amazing career:

• He set a world record of 9.93 seconds in the 100m at the United States Air Force Academy on July 3, 1983.
• He achieved a world low-altitude best time of 9.97 seconds in the 100m in Zürich on August 24, 1983.
• He helped set a world record in the 4 × 100m relay in Helsinki on August 10, 1983.
• He helped set another world record in the 4 × 100m relay in Los Angeles on August 11, 1984.

Track Records

As of September 2024, Calvin Smith still holds these 100-meter track records:

Awards and Honors

Calvin Smith has received many honors for his achievements:

• In 2007, he was added to the United States Track and Field Hall of Fame.
• In 2014, he was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
• In 2016, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

See also

• Men's 100 metres world record progression

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