Christian

Smith

Career Highlights

3^rd at 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials - Track & Field; 2006 Big Eight Conference Outdoor 800m champ

In what many have called one of the most dramatic races in U.S. Olympic Trials history, Christian Smith qualified for his first Olympic Games with a third-place finish in the men's 800 meters in front of his home crowd at the 2008 Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.  A native of Garfield, Kan., Smith dove across the finish line just ahead of 2004 Olympian Khadevis Robinson in grabbing the final men's 800m roster spot for the Beijing Olympics in posting a time of 1:45:47. "Usually people tend to move out to protect their outside lane, so I knew I might be able to come through the inside. The whole race I ran from the inside. I saw Khadevis and I knew he was the guy I had to get. I just took the lean and dove. I don't think a lean would be enough." Smith's performance at the Trials bettered the Olympic "A" qualifying standard of 1:46.00, which he needed to accomplish, along with finishing in the top three of the final, to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team.  Smith's stellar accomplishment followed a burst appendix in 2007 and a series of injuries during his 2008 indoor campaign.   

Competition Results:
2008:  3^rd at Olympic Trials (1:45.47)...ran 147.26 at Oregon Twilight (May 9)
2007:  4th in opening round 1,500m at USA Outdoors (1:48.92)...best of 1:48.92.
2006:  5th in 1,500m at USA Outdoors (3:40.65)...Big 12 Outdoor 1,500m champ...ranked #10 in U.S. at 800m by T&FN...bests of 1:44.86 & 3:38.10.
2005: 8^th in 1,500m at USA Outdoors (1:49.79)...4^th in opening round at NCAA Outdoors (1:49.03)...runner-up at Big 12 Outdoors 1,500m...bests of 1:47.19 & 3:46.22.
2004: 5^th in 800m semis at Olympic Trials (1:48.18)...Big 12 Outdoor 800m runner-up...bests of 1:46.74 & 3:52.78.
2003: 4^th in opening round of Big 12 Outdoors...best of 1:48.66i.
2002: Best of 1:50.65.

Olympic Experience

• 1-time Olympian;
• Olympic Games Beijing 2008, 43th (800m - Men)