Steve Smith (British high jumper)

Steve Smith (actually: Stephenson James Smith, born March 29, 1973 in Liverpool) is a former British high jumper of all major championships won a medal in the 1990s. His greatest achievement is the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in 1996. He is co-owner of the junior world record in the high jump (see IAAF World Records).

Steve Smith had a competition weight of 70 kg at a height of 1.85 m.

In 1991 he was European Junior Champion and 1992 World Junior Champion. At the Junior World Championships in Seoul jumped 2.37 m. With this amount equaling the junior world record of Dragutin Topić and presented at the same time a British record. Both records have stock ( as of 2007).

At the World Indoor Championships in Toronto Smith jumped over 2.37 m and again won bronze behind Javier Sotomayor, Patrik Sjöberg and. Mastered at the world championships in Stuttgart Smith 2.37 m. Javier Sotomayor Artur Partyka was world champion before and Smith.

In February 1994, Smith raised his own British indoor record at a meeting in Wuppertal to 2.38 m. At the European Championships in Helsinki won with 2.35 m of the Norwegian Steinar Hoen before Partyka and Smith, who crossed each 2.33 m and with the same number both received silver of failed attempts. 17 days later the High Jump Final of the Commonwealth Games was held in Victoria. The Australian Tim Forsyth and Smith, who started for England, had an exciting duel for gold and silver delivered. Both failed three times at 2.34 m, and in the first attempt of the piercing crossed not both the 2.34 m. In the second round of the piercing crossed both 2.32 m, in the third experiment, both failed at 2.34 meters, and only the fourth round brought the decision in favor of Forsyth, who crossed 2.32 m, which Smith did not succeed this time.

At the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg Troy Kemp won against Sotomayor. Smith jumped 2.35 meters, but was defeated in 1993 as the Polish Partyka at the same level and was only fourth. At the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 Charles Austin won with 2.39 m in front Partyka with 2.37 m and 2.35 m with Smith.

This bronze medal should be the last major medal for Smith. In 1997 he was at the World Indoor Championships in Paris with 2.25 m sixth and retired at the World Championships in Athens, he retired in the qualifier. Due to a neck injury he had to miss the 1998 season, 1999, he attempted a comeback. After an Achilles tendon injury, he finished his career in 1999.