Smellie

Don’t call it a comeback. Gavin Smellie has been one of Canada’s top sprinters for more than a decade.

Tokyo represents his first Olympic Games since London 2012, where he was a member of the 4x100-metre relay team that looked like it had won the bronze medal, only to be disqualified for a lane violation.

A year later, Smellie was also part of the team that found redemption in winning bronze at the 2013 IAAF World Championships.

Smellie was named to the Canadian team for the 2015 IAAF World Championships, but because of a groin injury did not race as part of the 4x100-metre relay that won bronze. Earlier that summer, Smellie competed at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto where he ran leadoff for the 4x100-metre relay team that appeared to have won gold before another lane violation led to disqualification.

He had previously encountered bad luck at the 2011 IAAF World Championships when he strained his hamstring while running the second leg of the 4x100-metre relay during the heats and had to be taken to hospital.

In 2018, at the age of 31, Smellie ran the fastest 100 metres of his career and his time of 10.01 seconds was the fastest by a Canadian that season. The next year, he competed again in the relays at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, and the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Smellie is a multiple medallist at the Canadian Championships, including gold in the 100 metres and bronze in the 200 metres in 2014. Don’t call it a comeback. Gavin Smellie has been one of Canada’s top sprinters for more than a decade.

Tokyo represents his first Olympic Games since London 2012, where he was a member of the 4x100-metre relay team that looked like it had won the bronze medal, only to be disqualified for a lane violation.

A year later, Smellie was also part of the team that found redemption in winning bronze at the 2013 IAAF World Championships.

Smellie was named to the Canadian team for the 2015 IAAF World Championships, but because of a groin injury did not race as part of the 4x100-metre relay that won bronze. Earlier that summer, Smellie competed at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto where he ran leadoff for the 4x100-metre relay team that appeared to have won gold before another lane violation led to disqualification.

He had previously encountered bad luck at the 2011 IAAF World Championships when he strained his hamstring while running the second leg of the 4x100-metre relay during the heats and had to be taken to hospital.

In 2018, at the age of 31, Smellie ran the fastest 100 metres of his career and his time of 10.01 seconds was the fastest by a Canadian that season. The next year, he competed again in the relays at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, and the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Smellie is a multiple medallist at the Canadian Championships, including gold in the 100 metres and bronze in the 200 metres in 2014.