Centro de medios de NYRR

Johnboy Smith has already had a very successful 2022, winning gold at the Commonwealth Games Marathon as well as setting a new personal best of 1:20:05 to finish as runner-up at the Grandma’s Marathon. In his four previous appearances at the TCS New York City Marathon, his highest finish was second place in 2017.

Smith was born in Kent, England and grew up as an amateur boxer, training to be a plumber and plasterer. One day while he was out with friends he was accidentally shot by a farmer who wrongly believed they were poachers. The bullet went through a car tailgate, a dog and the car seat and into his spine. During his rehab at Stoke Mandeville hospital – the birthplace of the Paralympics – he started body building and powerlifting to rebuild his upper-body strength.

After watching the London 2012 Paralympics in his home country, Smith was inspired to take up wheelchair racing. He soon found himself at the Weir Archer Academy and began training with 2010 New York City Marathon champion David Weir. He went on to complete his first marathon in London in 2015 in 1:46:17. Since then he has gone on to represent Great Britain at the World Championships and Paralympic Games.