A FORMER British Olympian from Wythall has been left wondering if he was cheated out of a possible medal due to drug cheats.
Glen Smith a former pupil of Woodrush Community High School in Wythall and now a personal trainer at Stratford-upon-Avon’s Wildmoor Spa represented Britain in the Discus event at three successive Olympic Games culminating in the Sydney Olympics in 2000 where he reached the final and finished eighth.
Glen says most British athletes were aware that some foreign competitors were taking performance enhancing drugs but kept quiet because it appeared doping was being ‘pushed under the carpet.’
“Many of the guys of different nationalities I competed against were around the same age as me. We’d all been juniors of 16 or 17 attaining similar standards and were progressing through to senior level. It came as a shock when suddenly a few started getting results close to world records.
“I won’t name any names but there were two Russians, an American and a Lithuanian who come to mind. One of the side effects of using steroids is acne. The face and back gets covered in spots – so we suspected them but were not in a position to prove it.
“Yes one might wonder if cheating by others cost me a medal in the 2000 Olympics but I’m not bitter about it. You just get on with it and say to yourself I’ve got to where I am through blood, sweat and tears. They’re just cheats.”
Glen’s athletic career began at the age of 14 at Woodrush Community High School in Wythall in the summer term of 1986. During a practice session for school sports day, a PE teacher gave him a discus and tape measure and told him to go down to the bottom of the field and have a go.
“Try throwing it Smith, measure it, then come back and tell me,” he was instructed. Glen threw the discus so far that it soared out of the playing field onto neighbouring ground around 45 metres from where he was standing.
By the end of that summer he was winning school district competitions, had become a member of Birchfield Harriers and wore his first GB Vest at 17 years of age.
His personal best was 65.11 metres in 1999 and by 2000 he was ranked 11th in the world. He retired in 2004 at the age of 33.
Glen is now a highly-sought after personal trainers and works at Wildmoor Spa with fellow Olympians James Roe (oarsman) and Helen Slatter (swimming), specialising in rehabilitation, weight management and nutrition.
He misses the thrill of competition so may make a comeback to Masters Events for veterans.
“Not long ago I went to Stratford Athletics Club and threw 56 metres in my jeans and trainers. Back at home I went online and discovered it would have put me fifth in the British rankings for that year. They say discus throwers are like wine – they get better with age,” he laughed.
