David Smith (Canoe Sprint - K4/K2 1000) - Australian Canoeing
David Smith (Canoe Sprint - K4/K2 1000) - Australian Canoeing David Smith (Canoe Sprint - K4/K2 1000) - Australian Canoeing
David Smith (Canoe Sprint - K4/K2 1000) Can Smith recapture the form the saw him win silver at last year worlds at his second Olympics? Smith start to 2012 hasn’t been as he would have liked with the 25 year olds training and competition scheduled restricted as he recovered from a bout of acute glandular fever, but that didn’t stop the QAS paddler from combining with 2011 Szeged silver medallists Tate Smith, Murray Stewart and Jacob Clear from taking out the men’s K4 1000 National title, earning the right to be nominated to the AOC for the 2012 London Olympics. Hailing from the Illawarra Canoe Club, Smith had a fantastic season in 2011 establishing himself as a key member of the men’s K4 that won silver at Worlds, whilst having a stellar Racice World Cup, claiming two silver medals in the K4 1000 and K2 1000. Coached by Jimmy Owens, Smith’s focus from now to London will be to regain full fitness and help drive the K4 to gold at his second Olympic Games. Years on senior team? 7 years Nickname: Smithy When/Where/Why did you begin kayaking? Late 2002, Minamurra River (Kiama) to improve my ski paddling leg in Ironman. Greatest Sporting Achievement? Making the Beijing Team and winning a silver medal in the K2 1000m event at the 2009 World Championships. Silver K4 1000 at 2011 World Championships. What are your future goals? To win gold at 2012 London Olympics. What keeps you busy outside of Kayaking? A whole lot of sleep, bit of coffee drinking, bit of angry tweeting, some long walks on the beach overlooking the beautiful end of the day and taking the piss out of myself. Greatest Influence on Career? My Coach Jimmy Owens. Who inspires you? Former champion Clint Robinson. What are you looking forward to most about competing in London? Sitting on the start line right before the start feeling all the nerves run through my body. Which athlete do you respect/fear the most? The German K4 team, no fear, respect only! If you were not a Kayaker what would you be? Surf Life Saving Ironman. Superstitions before a race? Change every time before a race/heat. Favourite Olympic childhood memory? Kieran Perkins gold medal performance at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Favourite Australian personality? Nina Curtis. DOB: 13/02/1987 Lives: Gold Coast, Queensland Institute/Academy: AIS / QAS Club: Illawarra Canoe Club Coach: Jimmy Owens
<strong>David</strong> <strong>Smith</strong> (<strong>Canoe</strong> <strong>Sprint</strong> - <strong>K4</strong>/<strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong>)<br />
Can <strong>Smith</strong> recapture the form the saw him win silver at last year<br />
worlds at his second Olympics?<br />
<strong>Smith</strong> start to 2012 hasn’t been as he would have liked with the 25 year olds training and competition scheduled restricted as<br />
he recovered from a bout of acute glandular fever, but that didn’t stop the QAS paddler from combining with 2011 Szeged<br />
silver medallists Tate <strong>Smith</strong>, Murray Stewart and Jacob Clear from taking out the men’s <strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong> National title, earning the<br />
right to be nominated to the AOC for the 2012 London Olympics.<br />
Hailing from the Illawarra <strong>Canoe</strong> Club, <strong>Smith</strong> had a fantastic season in 2011 establishing himself as a key member of the men’s<br />
<strong>K4</strong> that won silver at Worlds, whilst having a stellar Racice World Cup, claiming two silver medals in the <strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong> and <strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong>.<br />
Coached by Jimmy Owens, <strong>Smith</strong>’s focus from now to London will be to regain full fitness and help drive the <strong>K4</strong> to gold at his<br />
second Olympic Games.<br />
Years on senior team? 7 years<br />
Nickname: <strong>Smith</strong>y<br />
When/Where/Why did you begin kayaking? Late 2002, Minamurra River (Kiama) to improve my ski paddling leg in Ironman.<br />
Greatest Sporting Achievement? Making the Beijing Team and winning a silver medal in the <strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m event at the 2009<br />
World Championships. Silver <strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong> at 2011 World Championships.<br />
What are your future goals? To win gold at 2012 London Olympics.<br />
What keeps you busy outside of Kayaking? A whole lot of sleep, bit of coffee drinking, bit of angry tweeting, some long walks<br />
on the beach overlooking the beautiful end of the day and taking the piss out of myself.<br />
Greatest Influence on Career? My Coach Jimmy Owens.<br />
Who inspires you? Former champion Clint Robinson.<br />
What are you looking forward to most about competing in London? Sitting on the start line right before the start feeling all<br />
the nerves run through my body.<br />
Which athlete do you respect/fear the most? The German <strong>K4</strong> team, no fear, respect only!<br />
If you were not a Kayaker what would you be? Surf Life Saving Ironman.<br />
Superstitions before a race? Change every time before a race/heat.<br />
Favourite Olympic childhood memory? Kieran Perkins gold medal performance at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.<br />
Favourite <strong>Australian</strong> personality? Nina Curtis.<br />
DOB: 13/02/1987<br />
Lives: Gold Coast, Queensland<br />
Institute/Academy: AIS / QAS<br />
Club: Illawarra <strong>Canoe</strong> Club<br />
Coach: Jimmy Owens
Results<br />
2012<br />
2nd (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - ICF World Cup 3 (Moscow, RUS)<br />
3rd (<strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - ICF World Cup 3 (Moscow, RUS)<br />
3rd (<strong>K2</strong> 500m) - ICF World Cup 3 (Moscow, RUS)<br />
4th (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - ICF World Cup 2 (Duisburg, GER)<br />
5th (<strong>K2</strong> 200m) - ICF World Cup 3 (Moscow, RUS)<br />
1st (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - National Championships (SIRC, NSW)<br />
1st (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - Paddle NSW Championships (SIRC, NSW)<br />
1st (<strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - Paddle NSW Championships (SIRC, NSW)<br />
1st (<strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - Queensland Championships (Lake Kawana,<br />
QLD)<br />
2011<br />
2nd (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - ICF World Championships (Szeged, HUN)<br />
2nd (<strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - World Cup 2 (Racice, CZE)<br />
2nd (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - World Cup 2 (Racice, CZE)<br />
2nd (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - National Championships (West Lakes,<br />
SA)<br />
1st (<strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - Grand Prix 2 (SIRC, NSW)<br />
2nd (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - Grand Prix 2 (SIRC, NSW)<br />
2010<br />
2nd (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - World Cup 3 (Duisburg, GER)<br />
2nd (<strong>K2</strong> 200m) - Oceania Open (SIRC, NSW)<br />
2nd (K1 5000m) - Oceania Open (SIRC, NSW)<br />
2nd (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - Oceania Open (SIRC, NSW)<br />
3rd (<strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - Oceania Open (SIRC, NSW)<br />
2nd (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - National Championships (SIRC, NSW)<br />
2nd (<strong>K4</strong> 200m) - National Championships (SIRC, NSW)<br />
1st (K1 5000m) - National Championships (SIRC, NSW)<br />
2009<br />
7th (<strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - World Championships (Racice, CZE)<br />
1st (<strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - World Cup 2 (Szeged, HUN)<br />
2nd (<strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - World Championships (Dartmouth, CAN)<br />
1st (K1 <strong>1000</strong>m) - National Championships (Perth, WA)<br />
1st (<strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - National Championships (Perth, WA)<br />
1st (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - National Championships (Perth, WA)<br />
2008<br />
10th (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - Olympic Games (Beijing, CHN)<br />
2nd (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - World Cup 3 (Poznan, POL)<br />
3rd (<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong>m) - World Cup 2 (Duisburg, GER)<br />
Get to know <strong>David</strong> <strong>Smith</strong><br />
Watch <strong>David</strong> <strong>Smith</strong> and Murray Stewart in their way to<br />
silver in the men’s <strong>K2</strong> <strong>1000</strong> at the 2011 Racice World Cup.<br />
Rob van Bommel from Sportscene TV interviews the men’s<br />
<strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong> crew after they win the National title.<br />
Photo credit - Top photo taken by Sportscene, bottom two<br />
photos taken by Balint Vekassy.<br />
Clear, Stewart, D.<strong>Smith</strong> & T.<strong>Smith</strong> hold off the WA challenge to win the 2012<br />
National <strong>K4</strong> <strong>1000</strong> title.<br />
<strong>Smith</strong> will be hungry to take a step up the podium in London this year!<br />
<strong>Smith</strong> & Clear out in front at 2011 Duisburg World Cup
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