Leigh Smith
Athlete Bio#
Height
6'2"
Age
43
Hometown
Destrehan
Education
Cardinal Gibbons (N.C.) HS ‘00 Tennessee ‘04
Career Highlights
2008 Olympic Team member; 3-time SEC Outdoor pole vault championSmith qualified for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team in the men's javelin after placing fifth at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. Smith qualified for the Olympic Team roster spot by being one of only three competitors in the event who had bettered the Olympic "A" qualifying standard of 81.78 meters/268 feet, 4 inches. Smith finished third at the 2004 Olympic Trials in Sacramento, but did not attain the Olympic "A" qualifying standard of 81.80m/268-4 within the designated time window, and was not named to the Team USA roster. Smith's throw earlier this year of 83.74m/274-9 on May 9 at the Georgia Invitational leads the 2008 U.S. list and is an improvement on his previous personal best by a little more than four feet. Smith was a two-time high school All-America selection in the javelin (1999 and 2000) ... Won the high school boys' javelin at the 2000 Penn Relays with a throw of 213-8 ... Champion at the 1999 Foot Locker National Scholastic Open in Raleigh ... Took the title at the 1999 USA Track and Field Youth Nationals in Edwardsville, Ill. Named to the North Carolina All-State Track and Field team in discus ...Placed fourth at the 1999 Penn Relays in the javelin...ran a PR of 39.3 in the 300m hurdles... Also played football in high school...averaged 1.6 passing touchdowns a game as a quarterback his senior year.
Competition Results:
2008: 5th at Olympic Trials (74.24m/243-7)...1st at Georgia Invitational (83.74m/274-9PR)
2007: tied for 13th at USA Outdoor Champs (70.30m/230-8)...ranked #4 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 77.24m/253-5.
2006: 9th at USA Outdoors (70.58m/231-7)...ranked #4 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 82.33m/270-1
2005: 4th at USA Outdoors (73.12m/239-11)...ranked #5 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 79.36m/260-4.
2004: 3rd at Olympic Trials (76.38m/250-7)...5th at NCAA Outdoors (73.72m/241-10)...ranked #4 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 81.66m/267-11.
2003: 14th at USA Outdoors (69.66m/228-6)...SEC Outdoor champ...10th at NCAA Outdoors....best of 72-10m/236-6.
2002: 13th at NCAA Outdoors (67.86m/222-8)...4th at SEC Outdoors...best of 71.10m/233-3
2001: 4th at NCAA Outdoors (70.44m/231-1)...16th at USA Outdoors (62.36m/204-07)...SEC Outdoor champ...best of 70.98m/232-10.
2000: Best of 65.12m/213-8.
