John William Smith (born August 9, 1965) is an American folkstyle and freestyle wrestler and coach. Smith was a two-time NCAA Division I national champion, and a six-time world level champion with two Olympic Championships and four World Wrestling Championships. Smith is the only American wrestler ever to win six consecutive World and Olympic championships as a competitor. At the end of his competitive career, Smith had won more World and Olympic gold medals in wrestling than any other American. Smith was widely known for his low single leg takedown,Brownlee, Shannon. (March 14, 1988). How Low Can You Get?. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 17, 2022.History Of The Low Single Leg and Overlooking the Legend who Invented it – John Smith. bjjee.com. Retrieved September 23, 2022. and is considered one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers of all time.John Smith Named Greatest American Wrestler of All Time. okstate.com. Retrieved July 17, 2022.Steen, Alex. (September 3, 2016). Top 10 Greatest Olympic Wrestlers of All Time - Men's Freestyle. The Open Mat. Retrieved July 17, 2022.Binoy, Allan. (July 26, 2021). Top 5 American Wrestlers to Ever Compete at the Olympics. Essentially Sports. Retrieved September 23, 2022.

Wrestling career High School Smith wrestled at Del City High School in Del City, Oklahoma. While in high school Smith had a 105–5 record, and was a two-time Oklahoma state champion.Wojciehowski, Gene. (July 19, 1992). Wrestling With Himself : Olympic Champion John Smith Blocks Out Everything Else, Then Beats Everyone Else. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 17, 2022.

College Smith competed collegiately at Oklahoma State University. While at Oklahoma State, Smith's college career record was 154-7-2. At the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Smith was a three-time national finalist and a two-time national champion. After losing in the 1985 finals to future US House representative Jim Jordan, he finished his college career with 90 consecutive victories.

Senior level Beginning in his teenage years, Smith competed internationally in freestyle wrestling. Highlights of his freestyle career include winning four World gold medals, and two Olympic gold medals. At the Senior level, his international freestyle wrestling record was 100–5, with an overall record of 177–8. He is the only American wrestler to ever win six consecutive World and Olympic championships as a competitor.

Coaching career Smith became the head wrestling coach at Oklahoma State in 1991. During his tenure as head coach, Oklahoma State University won five NCAA Division I national team titles, winning in 1994, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. His overall dual meet record was 490-73-6. He coached Oklahoma State wrestlers to a total of 33 NCAA Division I individual national championships and 153 All-American honors. Smith brought 23 team conference team titles to Stillwater as a coach as well.(April 11, 2024). Decorated Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith retires. espn.com. Retrieved July 26, 2026. On April 11, 2024 he announced his retirement and departure from Oklahoma State. David Taylor was appointed as his successor.

Awards and honors

1992 Summer Olympics 1991 World Wrestling Championships Pan American Games Pan American Championships 1990 World Wrestling Championships 1990 Goodwill Games wrestling tournament Grand Masters of Olympic Wrestling UWW Master of Technique award winner Amateur Athletic Union James E. Sullivan Award winner 1989 World Wrestling Championships 1988 Summer Olympics NCAA Division I Big Eight Conference 1987 World Wrestling Championships Pan American Games Pan American Championships NCAA Division I Big Eight Conference 1986 Goodwill Games 1985 NCAA Division I Big Eight Conference

Other honors Smith was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame with the class of 1997. In 2020, Smith was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. The high school Smith graduated from, Del City High School in Oklahoma, named its field house after him. Smith has a wrestling move named after him, the John Smith low single.

Family Smith's older brother Lee Roy Smith and younger brother Pat Smith were NCAA Division I wrestling national champions, with Pat being the sport's first ever four-time NCAA Division I national champion. Smith's youngest brother, Mark, was also a successful NCAA Division I wrestler, having placed in the top five nationally three times. Smith's nephews Mark Perry and Chris Perry were also NCAA Division I national champions. His son, Joe Smith, earned NCAA All-American honors twice while wrestling at Oklahoma State during his tenure as head coach. Another nephew of Smith, J. T. Realmuto, is a Major League Baseball All-Star catcher.

See also List of Oklahoma State University Olympians

Bibliography Dellinger, Bob & Doris. 1994. The Cowboys Ride Again. Oklahoma Bylines Inc. Zavoral, Nolan. 1997. A Season on the Mat. Simon & Schuster. Hammond, Jairus K. 2005. The History of Collegiate Wrestling. National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Moffat, James V. 2007. Wrestlers At The Trials. Exit Zero Publishing. Parrish, Kim D. 2007. Cowboy Up. Oklahoma Heritage Association.

References

External links Wrestling Hall of Fame – Coach Wrestling Hall of Fame – Wrestler Collegiate Record – Wrestler Collegiate Record – Coach John Smith Videos-MatDaddy.com