1984) ... Reference LLC and www.sports-reference.com are not sponsored by or affiliated with the Olympics, the United States Olympic Committee or the International Olympic Committee. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Willie Davenport, who won the 110-meter high hurdles at the 1968 Summer Olympics and also appeared in a Winter Olympics, competing as a bobsledder at Lake Placid in 1980, died Monday in Chicago. The Alabama Supreme Court on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020 ordered that Smith … We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Prosecutors said Smith abducted Johnson, 22, at gunpoint from an ATM, stole $80 from her and then took her to a cemetery where he shot her in the back of the head. Born Feb. 28, 1956, in Rochester, Pennsylvania, Smith moved to Uniondale at 5, his family said. In 1980, Smith finished second at the U.S. Olympic trials in the 400 meters, only to have the United States boycott the Games in Moscow to protest the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. After retiring from competition, Smith worked in television and trained youth and high school athletes in Alabama, some under the umbrella of his own company, Sports Speed Development, his family said. Smith's gold-medal moment was years in the making and the result of hard work and perseverance. Rank Team Name Result Notes 1 United States (USA) Sunder Nix, Walter McCoy, Willie Smith, Antonio McKay: 3:00.19 Q: 2 Great Britain (GBR) Kriss Akabusi, Garry Cook, Todd Bennett, Phil Brown: 3:02.98 Q: 3 Canada (CAN) Michael Sokolowski, Doug Hinds, Brian Saunders, Tim Béthune: 3:03:93 Q: 4 Uganda (UGA) John Goville, Moses Kyeswa, Peter Rwamuhanda, Mike Okot He did not qualify for the Games but did set a since-broken masters record in the 400 meters, according to the release. He was 64. Credit: Auburn University Photo Services. Four track athletes and a coach from South Sudan, the world's youngest country, and one of its poorest, arrived in November 2019 in Maebashi, a … 1994) Lorenzo Smith, III (b. He was motivational. Willie Smith's boxing career began in a Johannesburg orphanage and reached a climax in London's Royal Albert Hall. Lauterbach graduated from C.W. Willie J Smith III is on Facebook. At Los Angeles, June 17 Men's 400 meters First round. "Every race you ran against him, you knew you were going to have to run.". He was 64. This page was last edited on 23 January 2021, at … FILE-This undated file photo provided by the Alabama Department of Corrections shows Willie B. Smith III. 11/20/2020 10:51:00 AM, Scott Richardson Named Track & Field Associate Head Coach, Big weekend for Tigers with eight events wins, Tigers T&F head to USC Open, Music City Challenge, Huwalt’s gold leads Auburn at South Carolina Invitational, South Carolina Invitational awaits Auburn Track & Field. 1982) Zoe Smith (b. This was the year the Olympics were held in Innsbruck, and the first athlete to die was Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypeski, a British luge racer. About Us | "He was always so competitive," said Antonio McKay, Smith’s teammate on the gold medal Olympic relay. 1967) Kim Smith-Gaucher (b. Smith, a Uniondale High School graduate who was known as "The Long Island Express," won an Olympic gold medal at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles as part of the U.S. men's 4x400 relay team. Mandatory drug testing began with the 1968 Winter Olympics. Willie has been on death row in Alabama for the last 28 years. Advertise with Newsday | Named to three Olympic teams, he only got the chance to run in ’84, when he was awarded a gold for his duties in the 4×4 heats. A track star at Uniondale, Smith went on to Auburn University in Alabama, where he was among the school's most decorated runners. Smith famously held up a black gloved fist on the medal stand at the 1968 Olympics. Only the rye-grass pollen and occasional strong breezes detracted from what was a superb trials meeting. Willie B. Smith III was scheduled to receive a lethal injection at a south Alabama prison for the 1991 murder of Sharma Ruth Johnson in Birmingham. He covers running and the Long Island Ducks independent baseball team. The Alabama Supreme Court on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020 ordered that Smith … After the coronavirus forced a delay in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, athletes from South Sudan who are training in Japan seized the opportunity for more practice, which they have vowed to keep up, despite mounting uncertainty over this year's event. Smith, while still competing for Auburn, was selected as an alternate on the 4x100 relay team at the 1976 Games in Montreal but never participated. "He looked more like a 100, 200 runner than a 400 runner because he was so stocky and powerful," said McKay, 56, of Georgia. Video Platform powered by CBS Sports Digital. 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. Willie Smith, Uniondale grad who won Olympic gold, dies at 64 Analysis: Realmuto is the free agent the Mets should sign Top 10 MMA pound-for-pound fighter rankings Willie Smith NBA stats @ basketballreference.com This biographical article relating to a United States basketball player, coach, or other figure born in the 1950s is a stub. Homewood native and Auburn University graduate Willie Smith won a gold medal in the 4x400m relay at the 1984 Summer Olympic games in Los Angeles. HOGP After his teammates ran the 4x400 final in 2 minutes, 57.91 seconds, Smith got his gold. Green, along with AAU champion Willie Smith as favorites. The Eugene winds played havoc with the event, even more so than in 1976, and in the final 22.4 was enough to find Albert Shorts 2 meters ahead of the field, led by Tony Darden. Died: Willie Smith, 64 On November 07. Our High School AOY in ’74, when he tied the prep 100 (9.3y) and 220 (20.6) records, Smith went on to star at Auburn, where he won 2 NCAA Indoor 440 titles. Smith was an alternate again in 1984, but this time he had a chance to run in the early heats. The object of the experiment is 39-year-old Willie Smith, a former Olympic gold medal contender who has not competed in five years. The Family, friends, and loved ones are in total Shock at Willie Smith‘s Death causing so much heartbreak to the beloved family. Willie Smith, Uniondale grad who won Olympic gold, dies at 64 Analysis: Realmuto is the free agent the Mets should sign Knicks add Rivers but find top free agents elusive The Alabama Supreme Court on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020 ordered that 51-year-old Willie B. Smith … “We should have done this camp last year,” said Smith, “but we … The Alabama Supreme Court on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020 ordered that 51-year-old Willie B. Smith III be put to death on Feb. 11 for the shotgun slaying of Sharma Ruth Johnson. Willie Smith (b. "He had his opportunity to run in the Olympics, and I think Willie was just thrilled out of his mind for that. Rey Robinson (Fla TC) 10.26 7. In addition to his wife, Smith is survived by daughter, Kendal Smith of Alabama; parents, Shirley Smith of Oklahoma and Willie J. Smith Jr. of Hempstead; brother, Johnny Smith of Oklahoma; and sister, Sabrina Smith Scott of Queens. That was where Smith, slightly built and mild-mannered, won the British version of the world bantamweight title when he outpointed Teddy Baldock on 6 October 1927. AUBURN, Ala.—Willie Smith, a former Auburn track national champion and three-time Olympian, passed away earlier this month at the age of 64. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. FILE-This undated file photo provided by the Alabama Department of Corrections shows Willie B. Smith III. He then endured two Olympic disappointments before finally getting the chance to run at the Games. Terms of service | 1904, d. 1955) Winston Smith (b. For Olympic athletes, 1964 was not a good year. Sitemap | This undated photo provided by the Alabama Department of Corrections shows Willie B. Smith III. WSIU's Brad Palmer reports on the story of sprinter Willie Smith and his connection to this region. 1978) Charles E. Smith, IV (b. The gold medal was just icing on the cake.". 51-year-old Willie is convicted of the robbery, kidnapping, and murder of 22-year-old Sharma Ruth Johnson in October 1991. - 2 months ago @DrewScott_TV: Willie Smith, Uniondale grad who won Olympic gold, dies at 64 Nicknamed "The Long Island Express," Smith won relay… - 2 months ago @pomara_matt: - 2 months ago He was also honored in the Auburn University Tiger Trail, a walk-of-fame style outdoor tribute to the school’s greatest athletes. 3. He was just an ordinary person who achieved extraordinary things because he had a goal and he worked really hard.". While at Uniondale High School, he gained prominence by tying the national high school records in the 100-yard and 220-yard dash and was nicknamed "The Long Island Express," according to The New York Times. Join Facebook to connect with Willie J Smith III and others you may know. A major step forward for American track and field was taken with the first combined men and womens' Olympic trials. Your ad choices | He was reigning world champion between 1924 and 1928 after winning the gold medal in the 1924 Summer Olympics in the bantamweight category. He was 64. Death While Practicing at the Olympics Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypeski, Luge Racer. Smith became the first man to break 20 seconds in the 200 … "He was really old school, like athletes you don’t see any more — worked hard, dedicated, just a great person.". Heat One -- 1, Antonio McKay, Atlanta, 45.35. California Privacy Rights | AP Images Calvin Smith (right) attended the University of Alabama where he competed in track and field. Reprints & permissions | Smith competed regularly until the early 1990s and tried to make a comeback at age 40 before the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. • Bill Smith (American football) (1912–1999), American football end Willie Smith (offensive tackle, born 1986) (born 1986), American former football player Willy Spühler (1902–1990), Swiss politician Willibald Stejskal , Austrian football player (1914–1923) and … Smith’s outdoor 400-meter time of 44.73 seconds stood as the school record for 13 years and is still the fourth fastest time in Auburn history, according to the release. Willie Smith (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. 6. Subscription terms | Smith, who competed Post University in 2010 with a degree in electronic media. Jordan Lauterbach joined Newsday's sports department in 2012. "It made Willie feel like [after] all of the years of running, he had been acknowledged," said his wife, Dona Smith of Alabama. COLD SPRINGS– For everything there is a beginning and The Cullman Tribune was on hand to witness what may be the beginning of a great relationship with Olympic gold medalist Willie Smith and the Cold Springs Youth Football Association as Smith held his speed and agility camp on the campus of Cold Springs High School. Official profile of Olympic athlete Willie SMITH (born 28 Feb 1956), including games, medals, results, photos, videos and news. He was finally stepping on that [track] in front of the Olympic crowd and could participate. Smith’s success continued at Auburn, where he won two NCAA indoor championships in the 440-yard dash and was a five-time SEC champion in the same event. 100 Meters - June 20, 17.55 Hr (+1.9w) ... Willie Smith (Auburn) 10.26 6. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. An Olympic gold medalist has been helping train southern Illinois kids in the proper techniques of running for around a quarter century. He was named Auburn’s Athlete of the Year in 1978 and after graduation, he won a bronze in the 400 meters at the 1979 Pan American Games, according to a news release from the school. XC/Track Willie Smith, a Uniondale High School graduate who won a Olympic gold medal in the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, died Nov. 7, his family said. He was named the 1974 National High School Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News. Smith died suddenly on Nov. 7 in Alabama, where he had lived since college, his family said. Willie B. Smith, III, is scheduled to be executed at 6 pm local time on Thursday, February 11, 2021, at the Holeman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama. Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display skip to content He shared great inspirational messages about working hard and setting goals. Help, Top 10 MMA pound-for-pound fighter rankings, Mets address pitching depth with signings of Montgomery, Hunter, Top 50 wrestlers on LI for the 2021 season, Manhasset cancels winter sports season amid COVID-19 outbreak. She is now Sienna Willie Smith. Privacy Policy | Smith took the lead with just William Alexander Smith (19 July 1904 – 20 December 1955) was a South African bantamweight professional boxer who competed in the 1920s. "He was wonderful with children. Shame to hear that Willie Smith, who ran the third leg in the heats for the gold medal-winning US team in the Olympics in LA in 1984, passed away this month… Twice US champion (1979, 1980) and second at the US Olympic Trials in 1980 with a PB of 44.73 over 400m. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1997, along with baseball Hall-of-Famer and Alabama native Ozzie Smith. His family was from Aberdeen, Scotland and Bedfordshire, England. A celebration of life will be held at a later date, Dona Smith said. And the question is: Can an older sprinter who is … Willie Smith, a Uniondale High School graduate who won a Olympic gold medal in the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, died Nov. 7, his family said. Cookie Settings | "He had a heart of gold," said Jennifer Chandler, a friend and Olympic gold diver. Contact Newsday | Willie James Smith III reached the track and field mountaintop the only way he knew how — with speed, precision and relentless dedication. 2, Butch Reynolds, Akron, Ohio, 45.56.