John Smith (American wrestler)

This article is about the American Olympic wrestler. For the Zambian wrestler, see John Smith (Zambian wrestler). For the American professional wrestler, see J.T. Smith (wrestler).

John Smith

Personal information
Born	August 9, 1965 (1965-08-09) (age 59) Del City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Medal record Men's freestyle wrestling Representing the United States Olympic Games 1988 Seoul 62 kg 1992 Barcelona 62 kg World Championships 1987 Clermont-Ferrand 62 kg 1989 Martigny 62 kg 1990 Tokyo 62 kg 1991 Varna 62 kg Goodwill Games 1986 Moscow 62 kg 1990 Seattle 62 kg Pan American Games 1987 Indianapolis 62 kg 1991 Havana 62 kg Collegiate Wrestling Representing the Oklahoma State Cowboys 40px NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships 1988 Iowa 134 lb 1987 Maryland 134 lb 1985 Oklahoma 134 lb

John William Smith (born August 9, 1965) is an American folkstyle and freestyle wrestler and coach. Considered to be one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Smith is a two-time NCAA Division I national champion, and a six-time world level champion with two Olympic Championships and four World Wrestling Championships. Until October 2021, Smith had won more World and Olympic gold medals in wrestling than any other American. During the 2021 World Wrestling Championships in Oslo, Norway both Jordan Burroughs and Adeline Gray tied his record.

Wrestling career

College

Smith attended Oklahoma State University, where he competed in folkstyle wrestling. At Oklahoma State University, he became an NCAA Division I national runner-up, and a two-time national champion. Smith's college career record was 154-7-2.

International

Beginning in his teenage years, Smith competed internationally in freestyle wrestling. Highlights of his career include four UWW world gold medals, and two Olympic gold medals. At the Senior level (ages 20 and up) his international freestyle wrestling record was 100-5. He is the only American wrestler to ever win 6 consecutive world championships as a competitor.

Coaching career

Smith became the head wrestling coach at Oklahoma State University in 1991. During his tenure, Oklahoma State University won five NCAA Division I national team titles, with titles coming in 1994, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. As of 2022, his overall dual meet record was 462-69-6. He had also coached 33 NCAA Division I individual national champions, and coached his wrestlers to 150 All-American honors. Smith has brought 21 team conference titles and 129 individual conference championships to Stillwater as a coach, as well.

Awards and honors

1992

• Summer Olympics

1991

• World Wrestling Championships
• Pan American Games
• Pan American Championships

1990

• World Wrestling Championships
• Grand Masters of Olympic Wrestling
• UWW Master of Technique award winner
• Amateur Athletic Union James E. Sullivan Award winner

1989

• World Wrestling Championships

1988

• Summer Olympics
• NCAA Division I
• Big Eight Conference

1987

• World Wrestling Championships
• Pan American Games
• Pan American Championships
• NCAA Division I
• Big Eight Conference

1986

• Goodwill Games

1985

• NCAA Division I
• Big Eight Conference

Other honors

• Smith was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1997.
• The high school Smith graduated from, Del City High School in Oklahoma, named its field house after him.
• Smith has a wrestling move named after him, the John Smith single.

Family

Smith's older brother Lee Roy Smith and younger brother Pat Smith are NCAA Division I national champions. Smith's youngest brother, Mark, was also a successful NCAA Division I wrestler, having placed in the top five nationally three times. Smith's nephews Mark Perry and Chris Perry are also NCAA Division I national champions. His son, Joe Smith, earned NCAA All-American honors twice while wrestling at Oklahoma State under his coaching. His nephew J. T. Realmuto is an all-star Major League Baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies.

See also

• List of Oklahoma State University Olympians

Bibliography

• Dellinger, Bob & Doris. 1994. The Cowboys Ride Again. Oklahoma Bylines Inc. ISBN 978-1-882336-04-3
• Zavoral, Nolan. 1997. A Season on the Mat. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-84787-0
• Hammond, Jairus K. 2005. The History of Collegiate Wrestling. National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. ISBN 978-0-9765064-0-9
• Moffat, James V. 2007. Wrestlers At The Trials. Exit Zero Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9799051-0-0
• Parrish, Kim D. 2007. Cowboy Up. Oklahoma Heritage Association. ISBN 978-1-885596-61-1

External links

• Wrestling Hall of Fame – Coach
• Wrestling Hall of Fame – Wrestler
• Collegiate Record – Wrestler
• Collegiate Record – Coach
• John Smith Videos-MatDaddy.com