Keeth Smart facts for kids
2004 Fencing Olympians from Peter Westbrook Foundation, Keeth Smart, Erinn Smart, Ivan Lee, and Kamara James (l-r)
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
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| Born | July 29, 1978 Brooklyn, New York, United States |
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| 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 | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Keeth Thomas Smart (born July 29, 1978) is a famous American fencer. He specializes in the saber style of fencing. Keeth was the first American man to become the world's top-ranked saber fencer! He competed in three Olympic Games. In 2008, he won a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics with his team.
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About Keeth Smart's Early Life
Keeth Smart was born in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in a part of Brooklyn called Flatbush. His dad, Thomas R. Smart Jr., worked as a manager and later as an economist. His mom, Liz Smart, was a teacher who came from Jamaica.
Keeth and his younger sister, Erinn, started learning fencing because their parents encouraged them. They learned at the Peter Westbrook Foundation. The founder, Peter Westbrook, was an Olympic sabre medalist. He became Keeth's mentor, guiding him in the sport.
Keeth's Education and Career
Keeth went to Brooklyn Technical High School and finished in 1996. He then studied finance at St. John's University in New York City, graduating in 2001.
Later, he earned his master's degree in business (an MBA) from Columbia University in 2010. Today, Keeth works as a Senior Vice President at Chelsea Piers Fitness, a company he joined in 2017.
Keeth Smart's Fencing Achievements
Keeth Smart's fencing coach was Yury Gelman. Keeth was a very successful fencer during his college years. He won the NCAA sabre championship twice, in 1997 and 1999. He also placed second in 2001.
In 1999, Keeth was part of the team that won a bronze medal at the Pan American Games.
Olympic Games Performances
Keeth competed in the Olympics three times in men's saber fencing.
- 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.
- The 2008 Olympic Games were his most successful. He finished 6th in the individual competition. He even beat Áron Szilágyi, who later became a three-time Olympic champion!
Winning an Olympic Silver Medal
At the 2008 Olympics, Keeth won a silver medal in the team event. This was a huge achievement! In the semi-finals, the United States team was losing to Russia. But Keeth stepped up and scored 10 points against Russia's Stanislav Pozdnyakov, while Pozdnyakov only scored 4. This amazing comeback helped Team USA win 45–44.
This victory allowed the American team to go on and win the silver medal. It was the first Olympic medal for the US men's saber team since 1948! Keeth's sister, Erinn, also won a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics with the US women's foil team.
National and International Recognition
Keeth won the US national sabre championship in both 2002 and 2004. In 2003, he made history by becoming the first American fencer to be ranked number one in the world!
Keeth Smart's Personal Life
Keeth Smart married Shyra Cooper on May 27, 2007, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They live in Brooklyn, New York, with their two children. Keeth and his sister Erinn are still very involved with the Peter Westbrook Foundation. They help support young fencers in New York City.
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
