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is always a breakout star at the Olympics. That could be you.’ That really calmed my nerves. I had no fear and was ready,” said Smith.
Smith opened the Olympics with three impressive wins at 149.5 pounds, beating opponents from Spain, Israel and Canada handi- ly. In the fourth round, he ran into Attila Repka of Hungary, who won the bout by technical fall. Smith was still in position to wres- tle for a medal. A short conversation with his father, who told him how miserable his mother would be if he didn’t medal, helped him get back on track. “That made me laugh. All of the weight fell off of my shoulders. I got the carrot in front of me after that,” he said. Smith stopped World silver medalist Ghani Yalouz of France in the next match, 7-5. In his bronze-medal bout, Smith drew Cecilio Rodriguez of Cuba, a man who had beaten him 16-0 in a previ- ous bout. This time, Smith was prepared to defend his reverse lift, and Smith turned the tables, winning 6-3 to win the bronze. “My favorite moment came right after that match was over. I was running around the mat. I saw my mom in the crowd jumping around and cheering. Her inspiration helped get me there. She was so happy. This is why we do it, for the people you love. She was so happy. Our eyes locked and I said ‘this is for you,’” said Smith.
Smith returned from Barcelona as an Olympic medalist and still had higher goals, but the road ahead would be rough for him. He had fractured two lumbar discs in his back in the bronze-medal bout against Rodriguez, something which could have caused him to withdraw. When he returned to continue his career, that injury caused him considerable physical problems on the mat. The worst time may have been the 1995 season. Smith placed sixth at both the U.S. Open and the World Team Trials. “Because the Olympics were going to be in Atlanta in 1996, I was destroyed by my performance in 1995. That coming year, I was in graduate school at Georgia State. I had to drive by the Olympic Village every day. I knew the Olympics would be in Atlanta. I imagined being there. I looked up, saw the Village and told myself I’d be there,” said Smith.
Against the odds, Rodney Smith rose to the top again in 1996, winning the Olympic Trials to make his second Olympic Team. He had the chance to wrestle in front of the U.S. fans in Atlanta. Just like at the last Olympics, Smith got off to a good start, winning his first two bouts against opponents from Colombia and Turkey. “I wanted to win a gold medal. My heart was set. I had two great matches. I was hitting on all cylinders,” said Smith. In round three, Smith faced Grigoriy Pulaev of Uzbekistan. Smith blocked a throw and put Pulaev on his back, but officials ruled he had held his leg. Without that call, Smith lost 4-0. He then lost to a tough Cuban, Liubal Colas, 3-2. “I gave it everything I had. I left it all out on the mat. I didn’t have one ounce of energy left. I have no regrets,” said Smith. Smith ran a beverage business for seven years before pursu- ing a dream to work with young people through wrestling. “You find out what you love to do. I came home to Massachusetts to be a teacher. That was my dream. I also want- ed to open a gym to get kids off the streets. I used wrestling as a tool to scare them from drugs and gangs. I have helped change a lot of kids’ lives,” said Smith.
Smith teaches character education at the Hamden Charter School of Science, and founded the school’s first wrestling team. Last year, Smith coached the school’s first state champion. Last summer, Smith was chosen to coach on the U.S. Junior
World Greco-Roman team, which competed in Sofia, Bulgaria. “I loved that experience. I love to see kids who love the sport. They have passion. I love helping them with their mindset and preparation,” said Smith.
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