Mike Smith (decathlete) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mike Smith

Smith running the 400 metres, 1997
Personal information
Born	(1967-09-16) September 16, 1967 (age 57) Kenora, Ontario, Canada
Height	195 cm
Weight	98 kg
Sport
Sport	Track
Event(s)	Decathlon
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	Decathlon: 8626, Gotzis, 1996
Medal record Representing  Canada World Championships Silver 1991 Tokyo Decathlon Bronze 1995 Gothenburg Decathlon Commonwealth Games Gold 1990 Auckland Decathlon Gold 1994 Victoria Decathlon Bronze 1998 Kuala Lampur Decathlon

Michael Cameron "Mike" Smith (born September 16, 1967) is a famous Canadian decathlete. A decathlete is an athlete who competes in ten different track and field events. Mike is from Kenora, Ontario.

Mike Smith's Amazing Athletic Journey

Mike Smith went to school in Kenora, Ontario. Later, he finished high school in Toronto. He also studied at the University of Toronto while he was an athlete.

Early Career and Big Wins

Mike had two main coaches during his career. First, he trained with Andy Higgins in Toronto. Later, he moved to Calgary, Alberta, in 1994 and trained with Les Gramantik.

Mike started winning medals early. In 1986, he won a silver medal at the World Junior Track and Field Championships. He competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, finishing 14th.

In 1990, Mike won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. He then earned a silver medal at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics. He was also the first North American to win the Götzis International Decathlon. He won this event again in 1996.

Olympic Challenges and Continued Success

At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, Mike had a special role. He was the flag bearer for Canada at the Olympics during the opening ceremonies. Sadly, he got a hamstring injury during the decathlon. This meant he had to stop competing on the first day.

Despite this setback, Mike kept achieving great things. In 1994, he won his second gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

Michael Smith throwing the javelin

Top Rankings and Canadian Records

Mike Smith was one of the best decathletes in the world for many years. He was ranked in the top 10 globally for a decade, from 1989 to 1998. His highest rankings were second in the world in 1991 and third in 1995.

He held the Canadian record in the decathlon for a long time. He set his record of 8626 points in Götzis, Austria, in 1996. This record was later broken by Damian Warner in 2015.

Mike's personal best scores in each of the ten decathlon events add up to an amazing 9,362 points. This is one of the highest combined scores ever!

Mike's Best Performances in Decathlon Events

• Day 1:
  • 100 metres: 10.70 seconds
  • Long Jump: 7.76 metres
  • Shot Put: 18.03 metres
  • High Jump: 2.14 metres
  • 400 meters: 47.06 seconds
• Day 2:
  • 110 metre hurdles: 14.24 seconds
  • Discus Throw: 52.90 metres
  • Pole Vault: 5.20 metres
  • Javelin Throw: 71.22 metres
  • 1500 metres: 4:20.04

Mike still holds a special world record. He has the best combined performance for the three throwing events in decathlon: shot put, discus, and javelin.

Michael Smith during the pole vault event

Life After Sports

Mike Smith stopped competing in decathlon in 1999. After his athletic career, he started working in financial services. He also became a sports commentator for CBC Sports and CTV Television. He talks about track and field events on TV. In 2022, he was even nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for his commentary during the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Mike Smith's Major Medals

Mike Smith won many important medals during his career:

• World Championships:
  • Silver medal in 1991 (Tokyo, Japan)
  • Bronze medal in 1995 (Gothenburg, Sweden)
• Commonwealth Games:
  • Gold medal in 1990 (Auckland, New Zealand)
  • Gold medal in 1994 (Victoria, Canada)
  • Bronze medal in 1998 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
• Hypo-Meeting (Götzis, Austria):
  • Gold medal in 1991
  • Gold medal in 1996

See also

• Canadian records in track and field