| Bio: | Kim Smith, 27, stands as the fastest female miler, 5K, and 10K runner in New Zealand history. A graduate of Providence College in Rhode Island, the Auckland native won four NCAA titles in only two seasons… + See More +Kim Smith, 27, stands as the fastest female miler, 5K, and 10K runner in New Zealand history. A graduate of Providence College in Rhode Island, the Auckland native won four NCAA titles in only two seasons… + See More - See Less -Kim Smith, 27, stands as the fastest female miler, 5K, and 10K runner in New Zealand history. A graduate of Providence College in Rhode Island, the Auckland native won four NCAA titles in only two seasons with the Friars before graduating with a degree in Social Science in 2005. After graduation, Smith chose to stay in Providence training under the guidance of her coach Ray Treacy. 2008 was another record braking year for Kim. Starting the year off as she was to continue by setting a new national mile and 2 mile record in boston. This was followed up witha creditable 6th place finish at the World Indoor Championships in Valencia. Moving to the outdoor season Kim wasted no time in showing her intentions, by smashing her own national 10,000m record by close to a minute in May. July provided a shot at her own national 5000m record in Rome, and in true Kim Smith style, she surpased that also. In difficult conditions in Beijing, Kim came home with a creditable top 10 finish in the Olympic 10,000m final. Then a shift of gears, Kim decided to debut over the Marathon distance in the ING New York Marathon in November. It was a testament to Kims success in her career to this point, that her decision to run in New York was a highly publicised and talked about debut. However, despite great preparation, Kim unfortunately became sick just days before the race and was unable to finish. Expect to see great things from Kim over the marathon distance in years to come! 4 Nationals Records and a 5th Place finish at the World Championships in Osaka was a stunning return to form for Kim in 2007. Setting new records in both the Indoor and Outdoor 3000m events, and then the 5000m and 10,000m outdoors. Although she spent most of 2006 on the sidelines with an Achilles tendon tear and then a blood clot in her lung, Smith returned in June, running a local 5K road race and later running on the European track circuit where she broke her own New Zealand record in the 5000 meters with a new personal best time of 14:56, she ran 14:50.46 for 5000 indoors at Boston University on February 11, 2005. Smith represented Oceania at the IAAF World Cup in Athens, where she finished fourth in the 5000 meters. Kim still resides in Providence, Rhode Island and is coached by Ray Treacy. 2008: 9th Place in the Olympic Games 10,000m Final. 6th place in the World Indoor Championships in Valencia. Set 4 Nationals records in the mile, 2 mile, 5000m and 10,000m. 2007: 5th Place in the World Championship 10,000m in Osaka. Improved her personal best 3000 meter run in Boston (8:38.14) and also her 10,000m Run breaking the New Zealand National Record at 31:20.63 2006: 8th in Norwich Union GP at Crystal Palace in 3000m (8:47.06 PR)...10th in Golden League Brussels 5000m (14:56.58 NR) |
Press Conference Tirunesh Dibaba and Kim Smith - 2009 Reebok Grand Prix
I disagree with the premise that she is unable to communicate well. She communicates extremely well, but happens not to speak English. If you do an honest assessment of the four speakers in that video, Tiru is the best of the four! The guy asking the questions is an extremely uncomfortable speaker, and Kim Smith is painfully reserved and quiet. The translator speaks clearly, though a bit monotone and flat, and makes eye contact with his audience. I don't know what others are looking at, but that is how I judge the quality of a speaker.
It's worth noting that the western world will want nothing to do with her when someone better comes along. The machine is in the process of chewing her up right now. We should be careful what we wish for when we ask for our culture to consume another for the sake of our entertainment. Whatever you call that, it isn't success.
Anyway, I would much rather learn Amharic than have Tiru learn English. Too much focus is placed on these athletes accommodating the western, English speaking world. I think we should let them be who they are, and make the accommodation ourselves.
click on hyperlinks on the right.