Graham Smith
Swimming Athlete — Inducted 1978
Donald Graham Smith (born May 9, 1958) is one of Canada’s most accomplished swimmers and one of the most dominant athletes in Commonwealth Games history.
Graham began swimming competitively in 1964 under the guidance of his father and coach, Don Smith. He won his first national age-group championship at just ten years old, demonstrating early signs of elite talent. His first major international competition came at the 1975 World Aquatic Championships.
At the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, Smith won a silver medal as a member of Canada’s 4 x 100-metre freestyle relay team. Individually, he placed fourth in both the 100-metre and 200-metre breaststroke events and fifth in the 400-metre individual medley.
In August 1977, Graham set a world record in the 200-metre individual medley, establishing himself among the world’s premier multi-stroke swimmers.
Historic 1978 Season
Graham Smith’s greatest year came in 1978.
At the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, he won an extraordinary six gold medals in:
- 100m Breaststroke
- 200m Breaststroke
- 200m Individual Medley
- 400m Individual Medley
- 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay
- 4 x 100m Medley Relay
His six gold medals at a single Commonwealth Games set a record that, as of 2019, has been tied but never surpassed. During the Games, he also set five Commonwealth Games records and three overall Commonwealth records.
Later that year at the 1978 World Championships in West Berlin, Smith won gold in the 200m Individual Medley while setting another world record, defeating three other world record holders in the process. He also earned silver in the 100m Breaststroke.
At the 1979 Pan American Games, he added:
- Silver — 200m Individual Medley
- Silver — 4 x 100m Medley Relay
- Bronze — 100m Breaststroke
Due to Canada’s boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games, Graham was unable to compete in what would have been another Olympic appearance.
He officially retired from competitive swimming in the spring of 1982.
Career Achievements
Over his career, Graham Smith won:
- 56 Gold Medals
- 23 Silver Medals
- 8 Bronze Medals
Across Olympic, World Championship, Commonwealth, Pan American, and national competitions.
He set 17 Canadian records and multiple world records during his career.
In 1978, he received two of Canada’s highest sporting honours:
- Lou Marsh Trophy — Canada’s top athlete
- Lionel Conacher Award — Canadian Press Male Athlete of the Year
Education & Honours
Smith swam collegiately for the University of California, Berkeley, and later the University of Calgary.
He has been inducted into:
- Alberta Sports Hall of Fame (1978)
- Canadian Sports Hall of Fame (1986)
- Canadian Aquatic Hall of Fame (1986)
Did You Know?
Graham Smith is credited as the first Canadian swimmer to get a maple leaf tattoo.
After Induction
Graham Smith won six gold medals at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton while competing in the 100m and 200m breaststroke, 200m and 400m Individual Medley, 4 x 100m freestyle relay, and 4 x 100 medley relay. His number of gold medals won at a single Commonwealth Games set the standard, and while it has been tied three times, no one has bettered the mark as of 2019. He also set five Commonwealth Games records and three Commonwealth records during his gold medal run.
At the 1978 World Championships, held in West Berlin, Graham swam to a gold medal victory in the 200m Individual medley and set a world record in a very competitive event - as he beat three other world record holders in the field. He also won Silver in the 100m Breaststroke. At the1979 Pan American Games, Graham brought home a silver medal in the 200 IM, silver in the 4 X 100 medley relay and a bronze in the 100m breaststroke. Due to Canada’s boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games, Graham was unable to compete at the Games. He officially retired from swimming during the spring of 1982. Graham Smith’s outstanding swimming career ended with a total of 56 gold medals, 23 silver medals, and 8 bronze medals in Commonwealth, Olympic, World championship, and national events. He set 17 Canadian records. In 1978, he was named Canada’s Lou Marsh Trophy recipient as Canada’s top athlete, and the Canadian Press named him the Male Athlete of the year - Lionel Conacher Award.
Did You Know? Graham Smith has been credited as the first Canadian Swimmer to get a maple leaf tattoo.
