Vote online daily for two-time Olympic champion wrestler John Smith for the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame; stand up for wrestling!!!

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time World champion men’s freestyle wrestler John Smith has been named as a finalist for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame. An online fan vote, which will be part of the selection process has opened and will be available for votes through April 14.

Vote daily for John Smith for U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame

You can vote up to once a day. Vote today and often. You are not required to vote for each category. However, you must click submit on the final page in order for your votes to be processed.

Although wrestling is the No. 3 producer of Olympic medals for Team USA, there are only two wrestlers who are currently inducted into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame – Dan Gable and Bruce Baumgartner.

USA Wrestling is leading a national campaign within the wrestling community, calling on all current and past wrestlers to stand up for the sport and vote for John Smith, who many believe is the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) among U.S. international wrestlers.

The case for John Smith is long and deep. Here are some key reasons why you should vote for John Smith today and often over the next few weeks:

• John Smith is one of just three wrestlers from the United States to win two Olympic gold medals, joined by George Mehnert (1904, 1908) and Bruce Baumgartner (1984, 1992).
• In addition to his two Olympic gold medals, Smith won four World titles, stringing them all in a row. He is the only U.S. wrestler to win six World and Olympic gold medals in successive years. His amazing streak went 1987 World gold, 1988 Olympic gold, 1989 World gold, 1990 World gold, 1991 World gold, 1992 Olympic gold.

• John Smith lost only seven matches in his decade-long international wrestling career, and only one wrestler beat him twice.

• Smith won gold medals in the two Pan American Games he entered, in 1987 and 1991. He also won a gold medal at the 1990 Goodwill Games, one of the best competitions in wrestling during his era. He was dominant at the World Cup, the international dual meet World championships event.

Vote daily for John Smith for U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame

John Smith’s international wrestling record stands for itself. But his impact on the Olympic community and within the sport of wrestling goes way beyond just the data. John Smith changed wrestling as an athlete, and then improved the sport as a coach and leader.

• John Smith was an innovator technically, changing the sport forever. His low single series changed the way wrestlers scored takedowns, and his ankle lace turn was the most effective of his generation. He was named United World Wrestling’s Master of Technique and Wrestler of the Year in 1990.

• During his career, Smith won all of the major Olympic sports awards: the AAU James E. Sullivan Award in 1990, the USOPC SportsMan of the Year in 1990 and the Amateur Athletic Foundation’s World Trophy in 1992. He was the first wrestler to win the Sullivan Award. John Smith helped expose the sport of wrestling onto the national and international community

• John Smith served as an official coach for two U.S. Olympic wrestling teams, and numerous Senior World Teams. He was also the personal coach for World and Olympic medalists and team members.

• Smith is also one of the greatest college wrestling coaches, leading wrestling’s most successful program Oklahoma State for 33 years. Smith produced five NCAA team championships, 33 NCAA individual championships, 490 dual wins, 153 All-America honors, 23 team conference championships, 132 individual conference championships and two Hodge Trophy winners. At the NCAA Div. I level, seven of his Cowboy wrestlers are now head wrestling coaches, expanding his legacy across the nation.

• In addition to his international records, John Smith was a two-time NCAA Div. I wrestling champion for Oklahoma State and a three-time finalist. He won two Oklahoma state high school titles for Del City High School and was a 1983 Junior World silver medalist. He was named to the NCAA 75^th Anniversary Team, which included athletes from all sports.

There are 15 finalists in the Olympian category for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame, and only five will be inducted in the Class of 2025. The others nominated are worthy candidates: Carmelo Anthony (basketball), Kristin Armstrong (cycling), Sue Bird (basketball), Gabby Douglas (gymnastics), Ashton Eaton (track & field), Allyson Felix (track & field), Francis ‘Conn’ Findlay (rowing and sailing), Cammi Granato (ice hockey), Kayla Harrison (judo), Kerri Walsh Jennings (beach volleyball), Bode Miller (skiing), Dawn Staley (basketball), Serena Williams (tennis) and Mariel Zagunis (fencing).

This is the second time that John Smith has deservedly been a finalist for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame. Now is the time to elect another wrestler, specifically two-time Olympic champion John Smith, to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame!!!

Vote daily for John Smith for U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame