Keeth Smart facts for kids
2004 Fencing Olympians from Peter Westbrook Foundation, Keeth Smart, Erinn Smart, Ivan Lee, and Kamara James (l-r)
|
||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | July 29, 1978 Brooklyn, New York, United States |
|||||||||||||
| Height | 6 feet | |||||||||||||
| Weight | 165 pounds | |||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | Fencing | |||||||||||||
| Event(s) | saber | |||||||||||||
| College team | St. John's University | |||||||||||||
| Club | Manhattan Fencing Club | |||||||||||||
| Coached by | Yury Gelman | |||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
||||||||||||||
Keeth Thomas Smart, born on July 29, 1978, is an American fencer who specializes in the saber event. He made history by becoming the first American male saber fencer to reach the sport's highest international ranking. Keeth is a three-time Olympian and earned a silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as part of the team sabre event.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Keeth Smart was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in the Flatbush area of New York City. His parents, Thomas R. Smart Jr. and Liz Smart, encouraged him and his younger sister, Erinn Smart, to try fencing. They started learning the sport at the Peter Westbrook Foundation. This foundation was started by Peter Westbrook, an Olympic sabre bronze-medalist, who became a mentor to Keeth.
Keeth graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1996. He then attended St. John's University in New York City, where he studied finance and graduated in 2001. Later, in 2010, he earned his MBA from Columbia University. As of 2017, Keeth works as a Senior Vice President for Chelsea Piers Fitness.
Fencing Career Highlights
Keeth Smart's fencing coach was Yury Gelman. During his college years, Keeth was a very successful fencer. He won the NCAA sabre championship twice, in 1997 and 1999. He also placed second in the championship in 2001.
International Competitions
Keeth was part of the US team that won a bronze medal at the 1999 Pan American Games. He competed in three Summer Olympic Games in men's saber.
- At the 2000 Olympic Games, he finished 30th in the individual competition.
- In the 2004 Olympic Games, he placed 15th individually and 4th with his team.
- At the 2008 Olympic Games, Keeth finished 6th in the individual competition. He even defeated Áron Szilágyi, who would later become a three-time individual Olympic champion.
Winning an Olympic Silver Medal
The 2008 Olympics were a major highlight for Keeth. He won a silver medal in the team sabre event. In the semi-finals, the United States team was behind Russia by a score of 40–35. Keeth then had an amazing performance, scoring 10 points against Russian fencer Stanislav Pozdnyakov's 4 points. This helped Team USA win the match 45–44. This victory allowed the American team to advance and win the silver medal. It was the first Olympic medal for the US men's saber team since 1948.
Interestingly, Keeth's sister, Erinn Smart, also won a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics. She was part of the US women's foil team.
National and World Rankings
Keeth Smart won the US national sabre championship in both 2002 and 2004. In 2003, he achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first American fencer to be ranked number one internationally in the sport.
Personal Life
Keeth Smart married Shyra Cooper on May 27, 2007, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They live in Brooklyn, New York, and have two children. Keeth and his sister Erinn continue to be involved with the Peter Westbrook Foundation in New York City, helping to inspire new fencers.
See also
In Spanish: Keeth Smart para niños
- List of American sabre fencers
- List of USFA Division I National Champions
- List of NCAA fencing champions
- List of USFA Hall of Fame members
