Jason Smyth

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Jason Smyth
MBE

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| nationality = Irish

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1987|07|04}}

| birth_place = Derry, Northern Ireland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| residence = Belfast, Northern Ireland

| height = 177 cm

| weight =

| website = {{URL|https://jasonsmyth.ie/|JasonSmyth.ie}}

| sport = Running

| disability_class = T13

| event = 100 metres, 200 metres, 60 metres

| collegeteam =

| club =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{IRL}} }}

}}

Jason Smyth (born 4 July 1987) is an Irish retired{{Cite news |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/six-time-paralympic-champion-jason-smyth-ireland-retires-undefeated |title=Six-time Paralympic champion Jason Smyth of Ireland retires undefeated |website=Paralympic.org |publisher=International Paralympic Committee |access-date=3 April 2023}} sprint runner. He competes in the T13 disability sport classification as he is legally blind, with his central vision being affected by Stargardt's disease;{{Cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2008/0919/1221773889888.html |title=Smyth's Olympic quest won't curb his Paralympic career |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=12 September 2016}} he also competes in elite non-Paralympic competition. {{As of|July 2014}}, Smyth holds T13 World records in the 100m and 200m events.{{cite web |title=IPC Athletics World Records – Men's 100m |url=http://www.paralympic.org/sdms/web/at/record.pdf.at.php?xml=0&rct=RCTWR&spec=out&gen=M&evt=AT001 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021231902/http://www.paralympic.org/sdms/web/at/record.pdf.at.php?xml=0&rct=RCTWR&spec=out&gen=M&evt=AT001 |archive-date=21 October 2014}}{{cite web |title=IPC Athletics World Records – Men's 200m |url=http://www.paralympic.org/sdms/web/at/record.pdf.at.php?xml=0&rct=RCTWR&spec=out&gen=M&evt=AT002 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424151755/http://www.paralympic.org/sdms/web/at/record.pdf.at.php?xml=0&rct=RCTWR&spec=out&gen=M&evt=AT002 |archive-date=24 April 2014}}

He was selected to represent Northern Ireland at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.{{cite web |title=Jason Smyth could face Usain Bolt in Glasgow |url=http://www.paralympic.org/news/jason-smyth-could-face-usain-bolt-glasgow-2014 |publisher=International Paralympic Committee |access-date=22 July 2014}} Deterioration in his vision meant that he was reassigned to the T12 classification in 2014, but he was subsequently reclassified back to T13 in 2015.{{Cite web |url=https://www.the42.ie/jason-smyth-reclassified-2401392-Oct2015/ |title=Double Paralympic champion Jason Smyth gets massive boost ahead of tomorrow's World Championships |first=Steve |last=O'Rourke |website=The42 |date=21 October 2015}}

Career

He won two golds for Ireland at the 2008 Summer Paralympics setting records at the Men's 100 metres T13 and the Men's 200 metres T13, which led some Irish news sources to compare his feat to that of Usain Bolt, who achieved a similar feat at the 2008 Summer Olympics{{Cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics/2008/0919/238385-ireland/ |title=Irish team heading home |website=RTÉ Sport |date=19 September 2008 |access-date=29 December 2020 |archive-date=21 October 2015 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20151021174525/http://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics/2008/0919/238385-ireland/ |url-status=bot: unknown}} In 2015 the International Paralympic Committee's website also compared him to Bolt.{{cite news |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/jason-smyth-usain-bolt-paralympic-games-out-win-sixth-gold-rio-2016 |title=Jason Smyth, the Usain Bolt of the Paralympic Games, out to win sixth gold at Rio 2016 |publisher=International Paralympic Committee |author= |authorlink= |date=3 September 2015 |accessdate=28 August 2021 |quote=Irishman, the fastest para-athlete of all time, in Brazil to help celebrate one year until the Games.}} Comparisons to Bolt have also been made by some non-Irish news sources such as CNN.{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/09/09/sport/paralympics-day-two-libby-clegg-blind-football-jason-smyth-tatyana-hannah-mcfadden-jonnie-peacock-round-up/index.html |title=Paralympics day 2: Jason Smyth emulates Bolt, controversy on the track |publisher=CNN |author=Matias Grez |authorlink= |date=9 September 2016 |accessdate=28 August 2021 |quote=Emulating Bolt? Plenty was written about Usain Bolt's historic "triple-triple,", but one Irish sprinter matched the Jamaican by winning his third consecutive Paralympic gold. ... The Irishman is also reigning Paralympic champion in the 200m but won't have the opportunity to win a "triple-double", after the International Paralympic Committee opted to drop the event from the Games.}}

Smyth made history as the first Paralympian to compete at an open European championships, qualifying for the semi-finals of the 100 metres. Smyth ran 10.43 seconds, finishing 4th in his heat.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/athletics/8865518.stm |title=Paralympian Smyth misses out on place in 100m final |first=John |last=Haughey |date=28 July 2010 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=28 July 2010}} He just missed out on the final by finishing 4th in semi-finals in a time of 10.47 seconds.{{cite news |first=Cliona |last=Foley |url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/athletics-smyth-makes-euro-history-2274656.html |title=Athletics: Smyth makes Euro history |date=28 July 2010 |work=Irish Independent |access-date=28 July 2010}} Smyth was selected to represent Northern Ireland at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, but had to withdraw from the team due to a back injury.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/athletics/8928185.stm |title=Smyth to miss Commonwealth Games |date=19 August 2010 |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 September 2016}}[http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=15140 Athletics NI Statement: Smyth Withdraws from Commonwealth Games] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424061403/http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=15140 |date=24 April 2014 }}

He won a bronze medal with the Irish relay team in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 2011 European Team Championships.

Smyth hoped to compete in both the Paralympics and the Olympics in 2012. Although he ran 10.22 for the 100m in May 2011, this was 0.04s short of the A time needed to secure a place in the Olympic Games.{{cite news |first=Ian |last=O'Riordan |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0407/1224314496320.html |title=Time now to be making those London times, folks |date=8 April 2012 |work=Irish Independent |access-date=8 March 2012}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/aug/30/paralympics-2012-jason-smyth-tyson-gay |title=Paralympics 2012: Irish sprinter Jason Smyth thanks Tyson Gay for help |agency=Press Association |date=30 August 2012 |newspaper=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077 |access-date=12 September 2016}}

At the 2012 Summer Paralympics, Smyth won Heat 1 of the 100m final breaking the World Record in a time of 10.54 seconds before breaking the record again in the final where he defended his Paralympic title in a time of 10.46 seconds.{{Cite web |url=http://paralympics.channel4.com/the-sports/athletics/event/men-100m-t13/phase=atm113900/index.html |title=The Sports - Athletics - London 2012 Paralympics | Channel 4 |access-date=31 August 2012 |archive-date=1 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901002930/http://paralympics.channel4.com/the-sports/athletics/event/men-100m-t13/phase=atm113900/index.html |url-status=dead}} This final was also marked as the fastest Paralympic 100 metres in history. Smyth equalled his Beijing achievement by winning gold in the Men's T13 200m with a world record time of 21.05 seconds.{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0908/1224323738670.html |title=Smyth doubles up in record style |newspaper=The Irish Times}}

At the 2016 Summer Paralympics, Smyth won Gold in the 100m final. The Irishman clocked 10.64 seconds as he finished 0.14 ahead of Namibia's Johannes Nambala.{{cite news |url=https://www.the42.ie/jason-smyth-paralympic-gold-medal-rio-2016-2971387-Sep2016/ |title=Sensational Jason Smyth storms to fifth Paralympic gold medal in Rio |publisher=The42.ie |first=Ryan |last=Bailey |date=9 September 2016 |accessdate=29 August 2021}}

At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, Smyth again won Gold in the 100m final. He clocked 10.53 seconds as he finished 0.01 ahead of Algeria's Skander Djamil Athmani.{{cite news |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/paralympics/2021/0829/1243464-paralympics-2020-smyth-wins-sixth-gold-in-close-finish/ |title=Paralympics 2020: Jason Smyth wins sixth gold after dramatic T13 100m final |publisher=RTÉ Sport |date=29 August 2021 |accessdate=29 August 2021}}

In 2017 the International Paralympic Committee's website described him as "the world's fastest Paralympian".{{cite news |url=https://www.paralympic.org/jason-smyth |title=Jason Smyth |publisher=International Paralympic Committee |author= |authorlink= |date=2017 |accessdate=28 August 2021 |quote=Smyth, the world's fastest Paralympian, claimed his seventh world title at London 2017, winning double sprint gold to continue his unbeaten run in world-class Para athletics which now stands at over a decade.}} In 2015 it had described him as "the fastest para-athlete of all time", while Britain's BBC described him as "the world's fastest ever Paralympian" in 2016.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/disability-sport/36075315 |title=Jason Smyth: Paralympic star insists Rio Olympic dream is still alive |publisher=BBC |author=John Haughey, BBC Sport NI |authorlink= |date=19 April 2016 |accessdate=28 August 2021 |quote=Smyth, the world's fastest ever Paralympian.}}

In December 2023 he was announced in the line-up for Dancing with the Stars Ireland season 7. On Saint Patrick's Day 2024, despite receiving low scores throughout the competition, Smyth and his dance partner Karen Byrne were announced as the winners of the show.{{cite web|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/jason-smyth-wins-dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-6330793-Mar2024/ |title=Champion Paralympian Jason Smyth crowned winner of Dancing With The Stars|date=17 March 2024|work=Journal|accessdate=19 March 2024}}

Personal life

Jason is from Eglinton. He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.{{cite web |author1=Trent Toone |title=Running on faith: Mormon who just missed Olympics will compete at Paralympic Games |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865559457/Running-on-faith-Mormon-who-just-missed-Olympics-will-compete-in-Paralympic-Games.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140726095642/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865559457/Running-on-faith-Mormon-who-just-missed-Olympics-will-compete-in-Paralympic-Games.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 July 2014 |work=Deseret News |access-date=22 July 2014 |date=25 July 2012}}

Smyth was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to Paralympic athletics and the sporting community in Northern Ireland.{{London Gazette|issue=63571|supp=y|page=N25|date=1 January 2022}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/59828368 |title=New Year Honours 2022: Jason Kenny receives a knighthood and Laura Kenny made a dame |date=31 December 2021 |publisher=BBC Sport}}

References

External links

{{IPC athlete|id=jason-smyth|old_id=687458}}
[https://paralympics.ie/team-ireland-profiles/jason-smyth/ Jason Smyth] at Paralympics Ireland (profile 1)
[https://paralympics.ie/jason-smyth/ Jason Smyth] at Paralympics Ireland (profile 2)
{{Official website|https://jasonsmyth.ie/}}

Category:1987 births

Category:Living people

Category:Paralympic athletes for Ireland

Category:Paralympic gold medalists for Ireland

Category:Athletes from Derry (city)

Category:Irish Mormon missionaries

Category:People educated at Limavady Grammar School

Category:Latter Day Saints from Northern Ireland

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Paralympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Paralympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Paralympics