Both athletes wore black socks and no shoes on the podium to represent African-American poverty in the United States. Video on YouTube pre- Olympic trials interview anticipating potential actionĬarlos and Smith made headlines around the world by raising their black-gloved fists at the medal award ceremony. Smith's time of 19.83 was among the first automatically timed world records for the event as recorded by the IAAF.
Still, he improved upon his own world record that would last for 11 years until Pietro Mennea would surpass it on the same track. Knowing he had passed his training partner and closest opponent, his victory was so clear, he raised his arms to celebrate 10m before the finish line. Coming off the turn, Smith charged past Carlos and sped to victory. In the race, teammate Carlos powered out to the lead through the turn, while Smith got a slow start. Īt the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico, Smith nursed an injured groin into the 200m final. As the boycott failed to achieve support after the IOC withdrew invitations for South Africa and Rhodesia, he decided, together with Carlos, to not only wear their gloves but also go barefoot to protest poverty, wear beads to protest lynchings, and wear buttons that said OPHR. Īs a member of the Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR) Smith originally advocated a boycott of the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games unless four conditions were met: South Africa and Rhodesia uninvited from the Olympics, the restoration of Muhammad Ali's world heavyweight boxing title, Avery Brundage to step down as president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the hiring of more African-American assistant coaches. John Carlos' record was disallowed because of the brush spike shoes he was wearing, as was a similar record by Vince Matthews in the 400 meters. Olympic Trials at Echo Summit, California, San Jose State teammate John Carlos beat Smith and his world record, running 19.92A. He repeated as AAU 200m champion in 1968 and made the Olympic team. He traveled to Japan for the 1967 Summer Universiade and won the 200m gold medal. Smith also won the national collegiate 220-yard (201.17 m) title in 1967 before adding the AAU furlong (201.17m) crown as well. Six days later he won the NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship. Ī few weeks later, on June 11, 1966, Smith set the record for 200 meters and 220 yards around a turn at 20.0, the first man to do that in 20 seconds. Since the IAAF has abandoned ratifying records for the event, Smith still retains the official record for the straightaway 200m/220 yards in perpetuity. That record for 200m was finally beaten by Tyson Gay on May 16, 2010, just over 44 years later, though Smith still holds the record for the slightly longer 220-yard event. On May 7, 1966, while he was at San Jose State, Smith set a world best of 19.5 seconds in the 200m straight, which he ran on a cinder track. His achievements earned him a scholarship to San José State University. He was voted Lemoore's "Most Valuable Athlete" in basketball, football, and track and field, and was also voted vice president of his senior class. He won the 440-yard dash in the 1963 CIF California State Meet. While attending Lemoore High School in Lemoore, California, Smith showed great potential, setting most of the school's track records, many of which remain. He suffered from pneumonia as a child, but still grew to be an athletic youth. Tommie Smith was born on June 6, 1944, in Clarksville, Texas, the seventh of twelve children born to Richard and Dora Smith.