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Rustyfied






The Man behind the Medal...
US Speedskating
  • Full Name: Rusty Drew Smith
  • Nickname: Squirt
  • Birthdate: August 27, 1979
  • Birthplace: Paramount, CA
  • Height: 5'8"
  • Weight: 160 lbs
  • Injuries: broken right leg (1995); shoulder injury (1996, reinjured 2002)
Personal Records:
500m: 41.696 (December 21, 2001; Kearns, UT)
1000m: 1:27.400 (December 8, 2002; Bormio, ITA)
1500m: 2:13.893 (December 17, 2001; Kearns, UT)
3000m: 4:57.700 (February 9, 2003; Salt Lake City, UT)
Member of American Record 5000m team: 6:48.815 (October 20, 2001; Calgary)
Long list of top 3 finishes:
  • 1997 Junior Worlds
    • 1000m: 3
    • 1500m: 2
    • overall: 2
  • 1997 Team Worlds
    • 500m: 1
    • 1000m: 2
    • 3000m: 3
  • 1998 Worlds
    • 500m: 3
  • 1998 US Olympic Trials
    • 1000m: 1
    • overall: 2
  • 1999 Junior Worlds
    • 1000m: 2
    • overall: 5
  • 1999 Team Worlds
    • 500m: 3
    • 1000m: 3
  • 1999 World Cup - Chang Chun
    • 1500m: 3
  • 2000 Goodwill Games
    • 500m: 2
    • 1000m: 3
    • 5000m Relay: 2
  • 2000 Team Worlds
    • 500m: 1
    • 1000m: 3
  • 2000 World Cup
    • 500m: 3 (Calgary)
    • 1000m: 3 (Chang Chun)
    • 3000m: 3 (Chang Chun)
    • overall: 7
  • 2001 World Cup - Graz
    • 500m: 3
    • 1000m: 3
    • overall: 6
  • 2001 World Team Repechage
    • 500m: 1
    • 1000m: 3
    • 3000m: 2
  • 2001 World Team Bracket 2
    • 1000m: 2
  • 2002 Olympic Trials
    • Week 1
      • 1000m: 2
      • 1500m: 2
    • Week 2
      • 500m: 3
      • 1500m: 3
    • overall: 2
  • 2002 Olympic Games
    • 500m: 3
  • 2002 World Team Repechage
    • 500m: 1
    • 1000m: 1
    • 3000m: 3
  • 2002 World Team Bracket 2
    • 500m: 3
    • 1000m: 1
  • 2002 Worlds
    • 1500m: 3
    • overall: 5
Up to date race results are available at Cyberscoreboard 		What?! I didn't know that...
  • He was named after Rusty Staub, former first baseman for the New York Mets
  • Greatest Influences include
    • Robert Ahlke for showing him how to be his best
    • Wilma Boomstra for showing him how to get there
    • Olympian Andy Gabel for showing how it is possible to get there
    • Father for always being there
  • Considers 2001 season greatest accomplishment because of consistency enjoyed during season
  • Rusty is the only native Californian on the short track team
  • Started skating at a rink two blocks from his home, "Paramount Ice Land," where the Zamboni ice-cleaning machine was invented
  • Rusty won his first tournament five days after he took his first stride on the ice
  • He gave up almost everything to improve his skating to Olympic caliber, even his car
  • Rusty says his pet is his roommate and fellow speed skater Adam Riedy - Riedy says his pet is Rusty
  • His training diet used to consist of Funions, Subway sandwiches and beef jerky until his coach challenged him to lower his body fat
  • Both his 1995 leg and 1996 shoulder injury were sustained at the same Lake Placid rink
Sources: Cyberscoreboard; USOC; US Speedskating; Salt Lake 2002; Sports ID.