 |
 Willie
James Smith III was born in Rochester, PA, and moved
with his family to Long Island, NY, where he attended
Uniondale High School. During high school, Willie earned
the nickname "The Long Island Express", and his path to
the Olympics began. Willie was a nationally renowned
high-school sprinter, tying national scholastic records
in the 100 meters and 220 meters, and, in 1974, Track &
Field News named Willie the High School Athlete of the
Year.
At Auburn University, Willie started as a sprinter
but moved to the longer distance of 400 meters. Willie
was indoor Southeastern Conference (SEC) champion in the
440 yards in 1976, 1977, and 1978, was outdoor SEC
champion in the 440 yards in 1977 and 1978, and was NCAA
indoor champion in the 440 yards in 1977 and 1978.
Willie earned seven All-American honors and was a
five-time SEC champion, winning the 440-yard dash indoor
title three consecutive years, in 1976, 1977, and 1978,
and the outdoors title back-to-back in 1977 and 1978. A
team captain his last two seasons at Auburn, Willie was
recognized his senior year with his university's highest
honor, as Athlete of the Year. As current Auburn head
track coach Ralph Spry indicated: "Willie Smith is one
of the all-time track and field greats at Auburn, who
helped the program gain national prominence as a sprints
school."
Over his career, Willie won numerous medals. In 1977,
Willie won silver in the 400 meters at the World
University Games in Bulgaria, alongside gold with the
U.S. 4x400 meter relay team. In 1979, Willie won bronze
in the 400 meters at the Pan American Games in San Juan,
Puerto Rico. At the International Association of
Athletics Federation World Cup in Athletics, Willie won
gold in the 4x100 relay in Montreal in 1979 and gold in
the 4x400 relay in Rome in 1981. Moreover, in 1979 and
1980, Willie was USA Outdoor Track and Field Champion in
the 400 meters.
Willie made the 1976 U.S. Olympic team as an
alternate for the 4x100 relay team. He made the 1980
U.S. Olympic team and finished second in the 400 meters
at the U.S. Olympic Trials, but he did not compete in
Moscow due to the United States' boycott of the Olympic
games. At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Willie won
the gold medal as part of the U.S. team in the 4x400
relay. Willie was a member of the first place 1600
meters relay team at the 1991 World Indoor Championships
in Spain, and, in 1996, the New York Times covered
Willie's attempt to make the 1996 Olympic team at age
40.
Willie was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of
Fame in 1997 and the Auburn Tiger Trail in 2000. Willie
died November 7, 2020, at age 64, in Sylacauga, AL. He
was survived by wife Dona and daughter Kendal. |
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