Beki Smith (NSW)

DOB:  Nov 1986

Age: 

Coach: Daniel Smith
Twitter: @BL_20kmWalk
Instagram: @bekismith13

10,000m walk: 43:48.08 (Sydney AUS, 1 Apr 16),
20km Walk: 1:29.49 (Rome ITA, 7 May 16)

Beki Smith (nee Lee) was a talented junior who at 16 competed in the 5000m walk at the IAAF World Youth Championships in 2003. Not much was seen of Smith for five years until an appearance in 2008 saw her clock a 1:43 for the 20km walk.

In 2010, she had lowered her best to a modest 1:42, but her breakthrough came in 2011. After fifth at the Nationals (1:38.16), she clocked 1:35.35 in April in China. Next stop was the 2011 World University Games where she placed ninth. She closed the year with another PB of 1:33.09.

At the London Olympics, she placed a tremendous 27th in a one-minute personal best. Post London, she took a maternity break but was back in better form in 2014. Selected for the 2015 IAAF World Championships, she tuned-up with a near-two-minute PB of 1:30.24 before disappointment with a disqualification in Beijing.

At the 2016 World Racing Walk Cup in Rome, she broke the 1:30 barrier, clocking 1:29.49 for an outstanding 14th place. Domestically in 2017, her third fastest ever time of 1:31.23 secured selection for the London World Championships, where she placed 38th in a time of 1:35.31.

In January 2018, Smith indicated she was rounding into top form with a win in the national 10,000 track walk title in Canberra in a time of 45:56.08. A month later she lined up for the national 20km walk championship and Commonwealth Games trial in Adelaide and continued her good form winning in a very close race in her third fastest time of her career – 1:31.23. The win guaranteed her selection for the Commonwealth Games, one major she had not contested in a career that has seen her wear the green and gold at the Olympics, world championships, World Race Walking Cup, World University Games and World Youth Championships.