Rusty SMITH

Rusty Smith has competed at three Winter Olympic Games, with bronze medals in the 500 in 2002 and in the relay in 2006. He continues to compete and is on the US Short-Track Team, with an eye to make the Olympic team for Vancouver in 2010. At the 2002 US Olympic Trials, Smith was involved in the controversial final 1,000 metre race. Smith and teammates Apollo Anton Ohno had already qualified for the team. Their friend, Shani Davis, had not and needed to win the race to make the Olympic team. Davis did win the race, but other skaters, notably Tommy O’Hare, claimed that Ohno and Smith set this up for Davis. They were fully exonerated and Smith sued O’Hare for defamation of character, although it went nowhere. Davis made the Olympic team but then withdrew to compete in the World Long-Track Junior Championships.

Personal Bests: 500 – 41.556 (2004); 1,000 – 1:24.938 (2004); 1,500 – 2:13.893 (2001); 3,000 – 4:57.700 (2003).