Tommie “Jet” Smith
born 12 Feb 1944
100y 9.3 in Provo in 6 May 1967
100m 10.1 in San Jose on 21 May 1966
200m 19.83A in Mexico on 16 Oct 1968
220y straight 19.5 in San Jose on 7 May 1966 (first ever legal sub20sec).
220y relay leg 19.4 in San Jose on 13 May 1967 (worth 19.3 at 200m)
400m 45.25 in London on 20 Aug 1966
440y 44.8 (official split 44.5 at 400m) in San Jose on 20 May 1966
400m relay leg 43.8 on 24 Jul 66 (first ever sub44.
LJ 7.90m
Best 200m list
19.83A (0.9) 1 Mexico’68 (OG)
20.14A (0.9) 1 Provo’67 (NCAA)(20.26 at 220y)
20.14A (0.6) 1sf Mexico’68 (OG)
20.18A (1.9) 2 Echo Summit’68 (FOT)
20.28A (0.0) 1qf Mexico’68 (OG)
20.37A (0.5) 1h Mexico’68 (OG)
20.38A (-0.7) 1sf Echo Summit’68 (FOT)
20.77A (0.3) 2h Echo Summit’68 (FOT)
20.81 (0.0) 1sf Barkersfield’67 (AAU)(20.93 at 220y)
20.84 (legit) 1 London’68
windy:
20.21A (2.4) 1qf Echo Summit’68 (FOT)
He ran also 8 manual 20.2 times or better + 6 wind-assisted (best 19.9 in Sacramento on 11 Jun 1966).
He had a leg injury in Mexico that prevent him to run the bend at full speed, but , even though he opened his arms at 15m to go, his split times were 10.52+9.31 (according to Robert Parienté), only MJ has finished faster in Atlanta (9.20).
Roberto Quercetani published a “World History of The One-Lap Race”, a MUST READ, and there are details about The Jet at 400m:
For the 400m 44.5 / 440y 44.8 double WR, the splits were:
110y 11.0, 220y 21.7, 330y 33.5, 440y 44.8. Timers clocked officially the 400m in 44.5. See how fast he ran the last straight, surely he could have been the first sub44sec runner if he had more tries at the event (Quercetani reports that Smith had a time trial over 352y (321.8m) in 34.5 few days before the double WR.
PICTURED IN 2005, FROM LEFT: JOHN CARLOS, TOMMIE SMITH, PETER NORMAN - the participants in one of the iconic moments of the turbulent 1960s, the 200m medal “black power” presentation ceremony at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games.
