Spencer Smith (triathlete)
Encyclopedia
Spencer Smith is a British
triathlete. During his career in the early 1990s, his main rival was Simon Lessing
, he eventually moved on from short course Olympic-distance racing to long course. He has competed in a number of 70.3 and full Ironman
distance races following his domination on the short course. He finished 5th at the Ironman Triathlon
in Kona
, Hawaii
, in 1998, and 8th in 2000. He won two Ironman Distance races: Ironman Florida in 2001 and Ironman Brazil in 2002.
. He was cleared 17 months later in 1999. During his following battles against doping allegations in 2000 to 2001, Smith rode for the now-defunct British professional cycling team, the Linda McCartney Racing Team
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
triathlete. During his career in the early 1990s, his main rival was Simon Lessing
Simon Lessing
Simon Christopher Lessing, MBE, is a British triathlete who won five Olympic-distance world titles . He also won races at 70.3, ITU long distance and Ironman-distance events. He set an Olympic-distance world record in 1996, and is noted for his 2004 Ironman Lake Placid win, where he set a course...
Short course titles
His short course titles include:- ITU World Triathlon ChampionITU Triathlon World ChampionshipsThe ITU Triathlon World Championships have been held annually since 1989, the same year as the formation of the International Triathlon Union – the world governing body of triathlon...
- 1993
- 1994
- ITU World Triathlon Junior Champion
- 1992
- ETU European Triathlon Champion
- 1992
- 1997
- BTA British Triathlon Champion
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
Progression to long course
Like many British triathletes competing in the race series put on by the International Triathlon UnionInternational Triathlon Union
The International Triathlon Union or ITU is the international governing body for the multi-sport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and other nonstandard variations...
, he eventually moved on from short course Olympic-distance racing to long course. He has competed in a number of 70.3 and full Ironman
Ironman Triathlon
An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
distance races following his domination on the short course. He finished 5th at the Ironman Triathlon
Ironman Triathlon
An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
in Kona
Kona District, Hawaii
Kona is the name of a moku or district on the Big Island of Hawaii in the State of Hawaii. In the current system of administration of Hawaii County, the moku of Kona is divided into North Kona District and South Kona District . The term "Kona" is sometimes used to refer to its largest town,...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, in 1998, and 8th in 2000. He won two Ironman Distance races: Ironman Florida in 2001 and Ironman Brazil in 2002.
Doping scandal
In 1998, Smith was accused of using the banned substance nandroloneNandrolone
Nandrolone is an anabolic steroid that may be present naturally in the human body, albeit in minute quantities of less than 0.4 ng/ml. Nandrolone is most commonly sold commercially as its decanoate ester and less commonly as a phenylpropionate ester...
. He was cleared 17 months later in 1999. During his following battles against doping allegations in 2000 to 2001, Smith rode for the now-defunct British professional cycling team, the Linda McCartney Racing Team
Linda McCartney Racing Team
The Linda McCartney Racing Team was a British professional road bicycle racing team.-History:The team began in 1998 with Linda McCartney Foods, maker of vegetarian food, sponsoring vegetarian riders and staff. The company was started by Sir Paul McCartney's wife, Linda...
.