Karin Kiefer Smith (born August 4, 1955, inFürstenfeldbruck,Bavaria) is a retired femalejavelin thrower from theUnited States. She was born inGermany. She is a three-time Olympian. Smith qualified for a fourth, the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, but was unable to compete due to the1980 Summer Olympics boycott. She did, however, receive one of 461Congressional Gold Medals created especially for the spurned athletes.[1]
Her all-time career-best mark was 212 feet, 6 inches in August 1980.[2][3]
After graduating fromLa Jolla High School, Smith initially attendedUCLA before leaving to train in Germany in 1977.
Smith then returned to college, enrolling atCal Poly in San Luis Obispo. While atCal Poly, she won the Broderick Award (now theHonda Sports Award) as the nation's best female collegiate track and field competitor in 1982.[4][5]
With Smith leading the way, the Mustangs won the 1981AIAW Division II national championship and then repeated at the firstNCAA D-II national finals meet in 1982.[6] During an era when Division II winners could then also compete at the Division I meets, Smith won the NCAA Division I javelin individual national championship[7] on June 4, 1982 with a mark of 206 feet, 9 inches, which held the all-time event record with the previous design.[8][9]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Olympic Games | Montréal, Canada | 8th | 57.50 m |
| 1983 | World Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 10th | 59.76 m |
| 1984 | Olympic Games | Los Angeles, United States | 8th | 62.06 m |
| 1988 | Olympic Games | Seoul, South Korea | 20th | 57.94 m |
| 1990 | Goodwill Games | Seattle,United States | 3rd | 58.94 m |
| 1991 | World Championships | Tokyo, Japan | 13th | 60.34 m |
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