Gavin Smellie

{{Infobox sportsperson | image = 2019-09-01 ISTAF 2019 100 m men (Martin Rulsch) 01.jpg | caption = Smellie at the 2019 ISTAF in Berlin | full_name = Gavin Ramon Smellie | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|6|26}} | birth_place = Kingston, Jamaica | hometown = Brampton, Ontario, Canada | height = 180 cm | weight = 80 kg | country = {{CAN}} | sport = Track and field | event = Sprints | collegeteam = Western Kentucky Hilltoppers | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's athletics}} {{MedalCountry|{{CAN}}}} {{MedalCompetition|World Championships}} {{MedalBronze|2013 Moscow|4 × 100 m relay}} {{MedalCompetition|World Relay Championships}} {{MedalGold|2017 Nassau|4 × 200 m relay}} }}

'''Gavin Ramon Smellie''' (born June 26, 1986) is a Jamaican-Canadian sprinter. A two-time Olympian, he competed for Canada in the men's 4 × 100 metres relay at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England, and in the men's 100 metres at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

== Early life == Smellie was born on June 26, 1986, in the Papine neighbourhood of Kingston, Jamaica.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Gavin Smellie |url=https://olympic.ca/team-canada/gavin-smellie/ |access-date=April 6, 2018 |website=Team Canada |publisher=Canadian Olympic Committee}}</ref> He moved to Canada with his family in 2001 at the age of 14, settling in the Weston and Albion roads area of Etobicoke, Ontario. During his youth, Smellie played soccer as a striker. He initially attended George Harvey Collegiate Institute before transferring to Dante Alighieri Academy, where he began running and completed his high school education.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reason |first=Cynthia |date=August 5, 2014 |title=Botched baton hand-off ends podium dreams at Commonwealth Games for Etobicoke sprinter Gavin Smellie |url=https://www.toronto.com/news/botched-baton-hand-off-ends-podium-dreams-at-commonwealth-games-for-etobicoke-sprinter-gavin-smellie/article_67d2071a-c1bd-56dc-8ad8-f70612e73525.html |access-date=December 17, 2025 |website=Toronto.com}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Sanders |first=Aaron |date=May 4, 2021 |title=Black Excellence in Sport: Gavin Smellie |url=https://csiontario.ca/black-excellence-in-sport-gavin-smellie/ |access-date=December 17, 2025 |website=Canadian Sport Institute Ontario}}</ref><ref name=":2" />

== College career == Smellie attended Western Kentucky University on an athletic scholarship, graduating in 2010 with a degree in business.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="IH">{{cite news |last=Juzenas |first=Frank |date=July 13, 2012 |title=Smellie named to Olympic relay team |url=https://www.yorkregion.com/life/smellie-named-to-olympic-relay-team/article_d4b32887-7f75-5045-a1df-69e6682e9099.html |access-date=August 14, 2012 |work=YorkRegion.com}}</ref> He represented the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in NCAA Division I indoor and outdoor track and field competitions.<ref>{{cite news |date=March 7, 2012 |title=Former Hilltopper Gavin Smellie To Represent Canada In 2012 Olympics |url=https://wkusports.com/news/2012/7/3/Former_Hilltopper_Gavin_Smellie_To_Represent_Canada_In_2012_Olympics |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=August 14, 2012 |work=Western Kentucky University Athletics}}</ref>

== Professional career == Smellie represented Canada at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England, competing in the men's 4 × 100 metres relay alongside Oluseyi Smith, Jared Connaughton, and Justyn Warner. The Canadian team finished third in the final with a time of 38.07 seconds and initially appeared set to claim the bronze medal, but officials disqualified them after determining that third leg runner Connaughton had stepped on the lane line during the baton exchange. Trinidad and Tobago received the bronze medal as a result.<ref name="DQ">{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Doug |date=August 11, 2012 |title=London 2012: Canada disqualified in men’s 4x100 relay |url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/olympics-and-paralympics/london-2012-canada-disqualified-in-men-s-4x100-relay/article_bb4ec58a-0c6b-5fb5-bcdf-b56e4f9f630a.html |access-date=August 14, 2012 |work=Toronto Star}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 11, 2012 |title=London 2012 - Event Report - Men's 4x100m Final |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/london-2012-event-report-mens-4x100m-fina |access-date=December 18, 2025 |website=World Athletics}}</ref>

In 2021, Smellie represented Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, competing in the men's 100 metres. He finished eighth in his heat (51st overall) with a time of 10.44 seconds and did not advance.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Athletics SMELLIE Gavin - Tokyo 2020 Olympics |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1432649-smellie-gavin.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828005838/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1432649-smellie-gavin.htm |archive-date=August 28, 2021 |access-date=August 28, 2021 |work=Olympics.com |publisher=International Olympic Committee}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=July 31, 2021 |title=Canadian sprinter De Grasse cruises into 100 semifinal with season's best time |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/article/canadian-sprinter-de-grasse-cruises-into-100-semifinal-with-seasons-best-time/ |access-date=July 31, 2021 |website=CTV News |agency=The Canadian Press}}</ref>

== Personal life == Smellie is married to his wife, Sandy, and they have two daughters, Sydney and Naomi.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />

== Personal bests == {| class="wikitable" |- ! Event ! Time ! Wind ! Venue ! Date

! Results Score |- | 100 metres | 10.01 | +1.4 | Windsor, ON (CAN) | May 19, 2018 | 1203 |- | 100 metres | 9.97 * | +5.1 | Clermont, FL (USA) | April 15, 2017 | 1187 |- | 200 metres | 20.38 | +1.6 | Windsor, ON (CAN) | June 18, 2017 | 1161 |- | 200 metres | 20.16 * | +2.7 | Clermont, FL (USA) | May 16, 2015 | 1179 |- | 400 metres | 46.94 | | Toronto, ON (CAN) | June 17, 2007 | 1049 |- | 4 × 100 metres relay | 37.91 | | Khalifa International Stadium, Doha (QAT) | October 4, 2019 | 1233 |- | 4 × 200 metres relay | 1:19.20 | | Gainesville, FL (USA) | April 2, 2016 | 1249 |- | 4 × 400 metres relay | 3:09.18 | | Philadelphia, PA (USA) | April 23, 2010 | 1054 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{World Athletics}} * {{Athletics Canada|gavin-smellie}} * {{Team Canada}} * {{CGF}} * {{Olympics.com}} * {{Olympedia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smellie, Gavin}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Canadian sportsmen Category:Athletes from Kingston, Jamaica Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2015 Pan American Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2019 Pan American Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics Category:Black Canadian sportsmen Category:Canadian men sprinters Category:Canadian sportspeople of Jamaican descent Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for Canada Category:Olympic track and field athletes for Canada Category:Pan American Games track and field athletes for Canada Category:Western Kentucky Hilltoppers track and field athletes Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Canada