John William Smith (born August 9, 1965)[1] is an American folkstyle and freestyle wrestler and coach. Smith was a two-time NCAA Division I national champion, and a six-time world level champion with two Olympic Championships and four World Wrestling Championships. Smith is the only American wrestler ever to win six consecutive World and Olympic championships as a competitor. At the end of his competitive career, Smith had won more World and Olympic gold medals in wrestling than any other American. Smith was widely known for his low single leg takedown,[2][3] and is considered one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers of all time.[4][5][6]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | John William Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality |  United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | August 9, 1965 (age 58) Del City, Oklahoma, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 62 kg (137 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Wrestling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight class | 62 kg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Freestyle and Folkstyle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | USA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Wrestling career
High School
Smith wrestled at Del City High School in Del City, Oklahoma. While in high school Smith had a 105–5 record, and was a two-time Oklahoma state champion.[7]
College
Smith competed collegiately at Oklahoma State University. While at Oklahoma State University, Smith's college career record was 154-7-2. At the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Smith was a three-time national finalist and a two-time national champion. After losing in the 1985 finals to future US House representative Jim Jordan, he finished his college career with 90 consecutive victories.
Senior level
Beginning in his teenage years, Smith competed internationally in freestyle wrestling. Highlights of his career include four UWW World gold medals, and two Olympic gold medals. At the Senior level, his international freestyle wrestling record was 100–5. He is the only American wrestler to ever win six consecutive World and Olympic championships as a competitor.[8]
Coaching career
Smith became the head wrestling coach at Oklahoma State University in 1991. During his tenure, Oklahoma State University won five NCAA Division I national team titles, with titles coming in 1994, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. As of 2022, his overall dual meet record was 490-73-6.[9] He had also coached 33 NCAA Division I individual national champions, and coached his wrestlers to 152 All-American honors. Smith has brought 21 team conference titles and 129 individual conference championships to Stillwater as a coach, as well. On April 11, 2024 he announced his retirement and departure from OSU. [8]
Awards and honors
- 1992
- 1991
World Wrestling Championships- Pan American Games
- Pan American Championships
- 1990
- World Wrestling Championships
- 1990 Goodwill Games wrestling tournament
- Grand Masters of Olympic Wrestling
- UWW Master of Technique award winner
- Amateur Athletic Union James E. Sullivan Award winner
- 1989
- 1988
- 1987
- World Wrestling Championships
- Pan American Games
- Pan American Championships
- NCAA Division I
- Big Eight Conference
- 1986
- 1985
Other honors
- Smith was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997.
- He was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame with the class of 1997.[10]
- In 2020, Smith was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.[11]
- The high school Smith graduated from, Del City High School in Oklahoma, named its field house after him.
- Smith has a wrestling move named after him, the John Smith low single.
Family
Smith's older brother Lee Roy Smith and younger brother Pat Smith are NCAA Division I wrestling national champions, with Pat being the sport's first ever four-time NCAA national champion. Smith's youngest brother, Mark, was also a successful NCAA Division I wrestler, having placed in the top five nationally three times. Smith's nephews Mark Perry and Chris Perry are also NCAA Division I national champions. His son, Joe Smith, earned NCAA All-American honors twice while wrestling at Oklahoma State under his coaching.[12] Another nephew of Smith, J. T. Realmuto, is a Major League Baseball player.[13]
See also
Bibliography
- Dellinger, Bob & Doris. 1994. The Cowboys Ride Again. Oklahoma Bylines Inc. ISBN 978-1-882336-04-3
- Zavoral, Nolan. 1997. A Season on the Mat. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-84787-0
- Hammond, Jairus K. 2005. The History of Collegiate Wrestling. National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. ISBN 978-0-9765064-0-9
- Moffat, James V. 2007. Wrestlers At The Trials. Exit Zero Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9799051-0-0
- Parrish, Kim D. 2007. Cowboy Up. Oklahoma Heritage Association. ISBN 978-1-885596-61-1