Joyce Smith
Encyclopedia
Joyce Esther Smith is a British former long distance runner.
Smith was born in Stoke Newington
, London, and began running competitively in the 1950s, at which time the longest distance for women in international competitions was 800 metres. She won the English National Crosscountry Championship (AAA) in 1959 and 1960. In 1965, she told Athletics Weekly
that she intended to continue competing "for two more years at the most" and stopped running competitively in 1968.
Smith returned to competitive running in 1969, and broke the world record for the 3000 metre distance in 1971, and won the bronze medal in 1971, the gold medal in 1972 and the silver medal in 1973 in the IAAF World Crosscountry Championships. She reached the semi-final of the 1500 metres at the 1972 Olympic Games
. In 1973, she won her third National Crosscountry Championship. She won the bronze medal in 3000 metres at the European Athletics Championships in 1974
.
In 1978, she retired from track running after setting a new world record for 3000 metres in the age group W40 of 9:11.2 minutes, which was broken 27 years later, and ran her first marathon in 1979, beating the previous British record held by Rosemary Cox by nine minutes and seventeen seconds in a time of 2:41:37.
In 1979, she won the Avon International Marathon in Waldniel
. In 1979 and 1980, she won the first two editions of the Tokyo International Women's Marathon
. In 1980, she set a new British 25 kilometre record of 1:28:18 in Bruges
, which was also the new W40 world record which was broken 24 years later.
In 1981, she won the first London Marathon
in 2:29:57, becoming the first British woman and the first woman over 40 to complete the distance in less than two and a half hours. A year later, she won the event in 2:29:43, again setting a new British record, and becoming the oldest woman to win the race at 44 years, 195 days, a record which has not yet been broken.
In the first World Athletics Championships in 1983 in Helsinki
, she finished ninth in the marathon. In 1984, she became the oldest female Olympic athlete by running in the first women's Olympic marathon
, and finished eleventh at the age of 46.
She retired from competitive running in 1986 after setting a new W45 record for the ten mile distance of 55:33.
In 1984, Smith was awarded the MBE
. She and her husband, Bryan, are on the board of trustees of the London Marathon Charitable Trust. Bryan is a marathon coach who also organises the Mini London Marathon.
Smith was born in Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington is a district in the London Borough of Hackney. It is north-east of Charing Cross.-Boundaries:In modern terms, Stoke Newington can be roughly defined by the N16 postcode area . Its southern boundary with Dalston is quite ill-defined too...
, London, and began running competitively in the 1950s, at which time the longest distance for women in international competitions was 800 metres. She won the English National Crosscountry Championship (AAA) in 1959 and 1960. In 1965, she told Athletics Weekly
Athletics Weekly
Athletics Weekly is the world's only weekly athletics magazine.It is published in the United Kingdom by Athletics Weekly Limited and covers news, results, fixtures, coaching and product advice for all aspects of athletics, including track and field, cross-country, road racing and race walking.-...
that she intended to continue competing "for two more years at the most" and stopped running competitively in 1968.
Smith returned to competitive running in 1969, and broke the world record for the 3000 metre distance in 1971, and won the bronze medal in 1971, the gold medal in 1972 and the silver medal in 1973 in the IAAF World Crosscountry Championships. She reached the semi-final of the 1500 metres at the 1972 Olympic Games
Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics
At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, 38 events in athletics were contested, 24 for men and 14 for women. There were a total number of 1324 participating athletes from 104 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-References:*...
. In 1973, she won her third National Crosscountry Championship. She won the bronze medal in 3000 metres at the European Athletics Championships in 1974
1974 European Championships in Athletics
The 11th European Athletics Championships was held from 2 September to 8 September 1974 in the Stadio Olimpico of Rome, the capital of Italy.-Track:1969 |1971 |1974 |1978 |1982-Field:1969 |1971 |1974 |1978 |1982-Track:1969 |1971 |1974 |1978 |1982...
.
In 1978, she retired from track running after setting a new world record for 3000 metres in the age group W40 of 9:11.2 minutes, which was broken 27 years later, and ran her first marathon in 1979, beating the previous British record held by Rosemary Cox by nine minutes and seventeen seconds in a time of 2:41:37.
In 1979, she won the Avon International Marathon in Waldniel
Schwalmtal, North Rhine-Westphalia
Schwalmtal is a municipality in the district of Viersen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is named after the river Schwalm, which flows through the area. Schwalmtal is situated approx. 12 km west of Mönchengladbach....
. In 1979 and 1980, she won the first two editions of the Tokyo International Women's Marathon
Tokyo International Women's Marathon
The Tokyo International Women's Marathon was a marathon for female elite runners held in Tokyo from 1979 until 2008 in November.It was first held in November 1979, and this race was the first women's marathon officially sanctioned by the International Amateur Athletic Federation...
. In 1980, she set a new British 25 kilometre record of 1:28:18 in Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, which was also the new W40 world record which was broken 24 years later.
In 1981, she won the first London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
in 2:29:57, becoming the first British woman and the first woman over 40 to complete the distance in less than two and a half hours. A year later, she won the event in 2:29:43, again setting a new British record, and becoming the oldest woman to win the race at 44 years, 195 days, a record which has not yet been broken.
In the first World Athletics Championships in 1983 in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, she finished ninth in the marathon. In 1984, she became the oldest female Olympic athlete by running in the first women's Olympic marathon
Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics - Women's marathon
The Women's Marathon at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California was held on August 5, 1984. It was the first ever marathon for women in the history of the Olympic Games. The race started on 08.00h local time. A total number of 44 athletes completed the race, with Eleonora Mendonca...
, and finished eleventh at the age of 46.
She retired from competitive running in 1986 after setting a new W45 record for the ten mile distance of 55:33.
In 1984, Smith was awarded the MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
. She and her husband, Bryan, are on the board of trustees of the London Marathon Charitable Trust. Bryan is a marathon coach who also organises the Mini London Marathon.
Achievements
| Representing and | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Tokyo Marathon Tokyo International Women's Marathon The Tokyo International Women's Marathon was a marathon for female elite runners held in Tokyo from 1979 until 2008 in November.It was first held in November 1979, and this race was the first women's marathon officially sanctioned by the International Amateur Athletic Federation... |
Tokyo, Japan | 1st | Marathon | 2:37:48 |
| 1980 | Tokyo Marathon Tokyo International Women's Marathon The Tokyo International Women's Marathon was a marathon for female elite runners held in Tokyo from 1979 until 2008 in November.It was first held in November 1979, and this race was the first women's marathon officially sanctioned by the International Amateur Athletic Federation... |
Tokyo, Japan | 1st | Marathon | 2:30:27 |
| 1981 | London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,... |
London, United Kingdom | 1st | Marathon | 2:29:57 |
| 1982 | London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,... |
London, United Kingdom | 1st | Marathon | 2:29:43 |
| 1983 | World Championships 1983 World Championships in Athletics The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983.... |
Helsinki, Finland | 9th | Marathon | 2:34:27 |
| 1984 | Olympic Games Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 41 events in athletics were contested, 24 events by men and 17 by women. There were a total number of 1273 participating athletes from 124 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:... |
Los Angeles, United States Los Angeles, California Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California... |
11th | Marathon | 2:32:48 |
External links
- Portrait of Joyce Smith on coolrunning.com
- London Marathon: First lady is still the one and only, Article by Simon Turnbull in The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, 14. April 2002