Forrest Smithson

{{Short description|American athlete}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Forrest Smithson

| image = Forrest Smithson 1908 cropped.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| caption = Smithson and his running "style".

| birth_date = {{birth date|1884|09|26}}

| birth_place = Portland, Oregon, USA

| death_date = {{death date and age|1962|11|25|1884|09|26}}

| death_place = Contra Costa County, California, USA

| headercolor = lightsteelblue

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalSport|Men's athletics}}

{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}

{{MedalCompetition | Olympic Games}}

{{MedalGold|1908 London|110 m hurdles}}

}}

Forrest Custer Smithson (September 26, 1884 – November 25, 1962) was an American athlete, winner of 110 m hurdles at the 1908 Summer Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/79068 |title=Forrest Smithson |work=Olympedia |access-date=9 March 2021}}

Born in Portland, Oregon, Smithson was a student of theology from Oregon State University and an AAU champion in 1907 and 1909 in the {{convert|120|yd|abbr=on}} hurdles.

At London, the main favourites were Smithson's teammates John Garrels and Arthur Shaw, who had earlier equaled Alvin Kraenzlein's world record of 15.2 seconds. The 110 m hurdles were not contested on a track as usual but on a special path in the stadium grass. Only Americans reached the final, which was contested on the last day of the London Games. Smithson defeated Garrels and set a new world record of 15.0 seconds.

Forrest Smithson died in Contra Costa County, California, aged 78.