{"id":2903,"date":"2014-09-08T16:02:24","date_gmt":"2014-09-08T14:02:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/?p=2903"},"modified":"2025-09-19T15:08:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T15:08:09","slug":"tommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/sports\/tommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement\/","title":{"rendered":"Tommie Smith und seine kraftvolle Aussage"},"content":{"rendered":"<!-- post header -->\n<div class=\"row rowSingleColumn\">\n    <div class=\"col breadcrumb\">\n        <a href=\"\/de\/\">Startseite<\/a>\/\n        <a href=\"\/de\/category\/sports\/\">Sport<\/a>\/\n        Tommie Smith und seine kraftvolle Aussage\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row rowPostHeaderImage headerImageAnim\">\n    <div class=\"scrollAnim\" \n        id=\"postHeaderImage\"\n         style=\"width:100%;position:relative;overflow:hidden;        aspect-ratio:2        ;\" >\n    <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\"\n        class=\"\"\n        src=\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/TommieSmith_H.jpg\" style=\"transition: 0.35s all;height:100%;width:100%;        object-position: 50% 0%; object-fit: cover;\"\/>\n        <\/div>\n    \n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row rowSingleColumnWide rowPostHeader\">\n    <div id=\"postHeaderText\" class=\"col tcenter\" >\n        <div class=\"cat\"><a class=\"secondary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/category\/sports\/\">Sport<\/a><\/div>\n        <div id=\"headerSocialIcons\" class=\"headerSocialIcons tleft\">\n            <a class=\"facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.puma-catchup.com%2Fde%2Fsports%2Ftommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement%2F\" target=\"blank\"><\/a>\n            <a class=\"linkedin\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/sharing\/share-offsite\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.puma-catchup.com%2Fde%2Fsports%2Ftommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement%2F\" target=\"blank\"><\/a>\n            <a class=\"x\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/sports\/tommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement\/&#038;text=\" target=\"blank\"><\/a>\n            <a class=\"pinterest\" href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.puma-catchup.com%2Fde%2Fsports%2Ftommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement%2F\" target=\"blank\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <h1 class=\"\" >\u201cICH W\u00c4RE SCHNELLER GEWESEN ALS USAIN BOLT\u201d<\/h1>\n        <div class=\"articleintro\" >Tommie Smith und seine kraftvolle Aussage<\/div>\n        <div class=\"date\">8. September 2014 <\/div>\n\n        <div id=\"\" class=\"headerSocialIconsMobile tcenter mobile\">\n            <a class=\"sharing\" id=\"mobileshare\" onclick='navigator.share({ \"title\": &quot;Tommie Smith and his powerful statement&quot;, \"text\": &quot;Holding eleven world records simultaneously, Tommie Smith is undoubtedly one of the greatest sprinters of all times. His remarkable achievements on the track, however, were overcast by the furor of his \\u201cSilent Gesture\\u201d in the fight for Human Rights at the Olympic Games 1968 in Mexico. Having just sprinted to gold in world record time over 200 meters for the United States, the black activist found himself jobless and hated by many in his own country afterwards.\\nCATch Up met the 70-year old at the PUMA Headquarters in Herzogenaurach for an interview when he paid his old sponsor a visit.\\n&quot;, \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/sports\/tommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement\/\" })'  target=\"blank\"><\/a>\n            <a class=\"facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/sports\/tommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement\/\" target=\"blank\"><\/a>\n            <a class=\"linkedin\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/sharing\/share-offsite\/?url=https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/sports\/tommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement\/\" target=\"blank\"><\/a>\n            <a class=\"x\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.puma-catchup.com%2Fde%2Fsports%2Ftommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement%2F&#038;text=\" target=\"blank\"><\/a>\n            <a class=\"pinterest\" href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.puma-catchup.com%2Fde%2Fsports%2Ftommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement%2F\" target=\"blank\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- row text single -->\n<div class=\"gradientnone\">\n<div class=\"row rowSingleColumnWide spacing\">\n    <div class=\"col articleText\">\n        <div class=\"textStyle_2b\" ><br\/>Er h\u00e4lt elf Weltrekorde gleichzeitig, <strong>Tommie Smith ist zweifelsohne einer der gr\u00f6\u00dften Sprinter aller Zeiten<\/strong>. Seine bemerkenswerten Leistungen auf der Bahn wurden jedoch durch den Wirbel um seine \u201cstumme Geste\u201d im Kampf f\u00fcr die Menschenrechte bei den Olympischen Spielen 1968 in Mexiko \u00fcberschattet. Der schwarze Aktivist, der gerade in Weltrekordzeit \u00fcber 200 Meter f\u00fcr die Vereinigten Staaten zu Gold gesprintet war, fand sich danach arbeitslos und von vielen in seinem eigenen Land gehasst wieder.<br\/>\n<br\/>CATch Up traf den 70-J\u00e4hrigen in der PUMA-Zentrale in Herzogenaurach zum Interview, als er seinem alten Sponsor einen Besuch abstattete.<br\/>\n<\/div>\n   <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- row two columns -->\n<div class=\"row rowTwoColumnsWide spacing\">\n    <div class=\"col articleText\">\n        <div ><br\/><strong>Innerhalb eines Jahres - von Mai 1966 bis Mai 1967 - sprinteten Sie zu zehn Weltrekorden \u00fcber 200 und 400 Meter. Der elfte Weltrekord stammt aus dem 200-Meter-Lauf der Olympischen Spiele 1968 in Mexiko-Stadt. Was war Ihr sch\u00f6nster Sportmoment?<\/strong><br\/>\n<br\/>Mein sch\u00f6nster sportlicher Moment war der 400-Meter-Lauf in Weltrekordzeit im Jahr 1967 an der San Jose State University, denn das war mein erster 400-Meter-Weltrekord. Ich lief 44,5 Sekunden auf einer unbefestigten Bahn mit vier Spikes. H\u00e4tte ich damals die Bedingungen von heute gehabt, h\u00e4tte ich sicher 43 Sekunden laufen k\u00f6nnen. Aber ich war auf dem College, studierte und hatte nicht wirklich die Zeit, mich auf das Training zu konzentrieren. Au\u00dferdem war meine Ern\u00e4hrung gleich null und nat\u00fcrlich war der Anreiz gleich null. Ich bin also aus Liebe zum Sport gelaufen, aus Begeisterung f\u00fcr den Wettkampf. Die Gewinne w\u00fcrden nat\u00fcrlich kommen, wenn ich in diesem Wettkampf gut genug war.<br\/>\n<br\/><strong>Wenn Sie damals die Schuhe von Usain Bolt getragen h\u00e4tten, w\u00e4ren Sie dann schneller gewesen als er?<\/strong><br\/>\n<br\/>Nat\u00fcrlich w\u00e4re ich schneller gewesen. Mit der heutigen Technologie, den Schuhen, den Bahnen und der Tatsache, dass ich nicht zur Schule gehen muss, h\u00e4tte ich die 200 Meter in 18,7 Sekunden laufen k\u00f6nnen. Usain ist nicht in der Schule. Er trainiert und bereitet sich vor. Ich hingegen bin au\u00dferhalb des Colleges nie Wettk\u00e4mpfe gelaufen. Das hat mir viel von meinem Training genommen.<br\/>\n<br\/><strong>Dennoch ist Ihre Erfolgsbilanz verbl\u00fcffend. Was hat Sie so erfolgreich und zu einem so herausragenden Sportler gemacht?<\/strong><br\/>\n<br\/>Ich habe getan, was andere nicht tun w\u00fcrden. Zum Beispiel um zwei Uhr nachts trainieren. Ich bin aus dem Bett aufgestanden und zur Rennbahn gegangen. Ich wurde ein paar Mal von der Polizei angehalten, weil ich auf der Stra\u00dfe war und zur Bahn ging, als sonst niemand auf war. Ich bin \u00fcber den Zaun geklettert, um zur Bahn zu gelangen, und da war ich schon Weltrekordhalter. Solche Dinge gaben mir das Gef\u00fchl, etwas Besseres zu sein, weil ich etwas tat, was die anderen Kinder nicht tun w\u00fcrden.<br\/>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"col articleText\">\n        <div ><br\/>Auch mein Denkprozess war anders. Es geht darum, die Muskeln maximal zu nutzen, ohne sie zu verkrampfen. Mit anderen Worten: Das Gehirn steuert den K\u00f6rper. Ich war nie vollst\u00e4ndig konditioniert, es sei denn, mein Geist wurde zuerst konditioniert. Schmerzen sind offensichtlich, aber wie man mit ihnen umgeht, ist es nicht. Jeder geht anders mit Schmerzen um. Ich war elit\u00e4r im Umgang mit Schmerzen. Was bedeutete Schmerz f\u00fcr mich, wenn ich um zwei Uhr nachts trainierte?<br\/>\n<br\/>Ich habe an den Wochenenden trainiert, wenn die anderen Jungs gefeiert haben, ich bin keiner Studentenverbindung beigetreten und ich hatte keine M\u00e4dchen. Es ging um die kleinen, einfachen Dinge.<br\/>\n<br\/><strong>Die mentale Verfassung ist also sehr wichtig, um ein erfolgreicher Sportler zu sein?<\/strong><br\/>\n<br\/>F\u00fcr mich war es so. Ich habe versucht, mich geistig zu verbessern. Die heutige Mentalit\u00e4t ist auch sehr darauf ausgerichtet, die Schuld auf bestimmte Bedingungen oder Umst\u00e4nde zu schieben. Wenn es drau\u00dfen regnet und au\u00dfer mir niemand im Regen trainiert, dann werde ich im Regen besser sein als die anderen. Wenn es in meiner Bahn mehr regnen w\u00fcrde und alle anderen bei Sonnenschein trainieren w\u00fcrden, dann h\u00e4tte ich etwas zu meckern. Aber ich beschwere mich nicht dort, wo die Arbeit die Dummheit der falschen Anschuldigungen \u00fcberholen kann.<br\/>\n<br\/><strong>Welche Erinnerungen haben Sie an das historische 200-m-Rennen in Mexiko 1968?<\/strong><br\/>\n<br\/>Bei diesem Rennen gab es eine ganze Reihe von Premieren f\u00fcr mich. Ich trug zum ersten Mal die PUMA-Klettschuhe. Es war das erste Mal in der Geschichte des Rennens, dass die Strecke unter 20 Meilen lang war. Aber es war auch das letzte Rennen, das ich gelaufen bin.<br\/>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- row image single -->\n<div class=\"row rowSingleColumnWide spacing\">\n\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t<div class=\"0 scrollAnim\" \n\t    \n\t     style=\"Wide;position:relative;overflow:hidden;\t;\" >\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\"\n\t    class=\"\"\n\t    src=\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/1TommieSmith_S.jpg\" style=\"transition: 0.35s all;height:100%;width:100%;\t    object-position: 50% 0%; object-fit: cover;\"\/>\n\t    <\/div>\n\t\n\t\t<div class=\"descr\">Mexiko 1968: Tommie l\u00e4uft zu Gold \u00fcber 200 m in der Weltrekordzeit von 19,83. Es war das erste Mal, dass die 20-Sekunden-Marke durchbrochen wurde.<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- row two columns -->\n<div class=\"row rowTwoColumnsWide spacing\">\n    <div class=\"col articleText\">\n        <div ><br\/><strong>Aber nur wenige Menschen wissen, dass Sie verletzt wurden.<\/strong><br\/>\n<br\/>Ja, ich hatte mir am Tag zuvor im Halbfinale einen Muskel gezerrt. Ich wurde von Leuten bedr\u00e4ngt, sie riefen mich an oder schrieben mir Briefe, in denen stand: \u201cDu wirst sterben. Wir werden dich umbringen, schwarzer Nigger\u201d. Als diese Verletzung passierte und ich pl\u00f6tzlich den Schmerz sp\u00fcrte, dachte ich, ich sei angeschossen worden. Ich schaute nach unten und sah kein Blut, und ich dachte: \u201cAch, ist schon gut. Ich habe mir nur einen Muskel gezerrt.\u201d Also brachten sie mich in den Behandlungsraum, legten mich auf einen Tisch und legten Eis darauf.<br\/>\n<br\/>Und dann kamen wir zum 200-m-Finale. Ich sah mir die anderen an und sagte zu mir selbst: \u201cSei kein Feigling. Sei ein Mann. Ich mache mir jetzt selbst die H\u00f6lle hei\u00df.\u201d Das hat mir wirklich wehgetan, denn ich war mental in Schwierigkeiten. Ich sah John Carlos und Peter Norman. All diese Leute waren Weltklasse-Athleten. Und sie waren offensichtlich schneller aus den Bl\u00f6cken als ich. Und ich dachte: \u201cDas war's.\u201d<br\/>\n<br\/>Als ich die Waffe h\u00f6rte, gab es keinen Gedanken. Da war nur Leere. Und als ich merkte, was passierte, war ich mitten in der Drehung. Was f\u00fcr eine Erkenntnis! Ich war an vierter Stelle. Hier ist das Rennen meines Lebens, verletzt, mit acht der schnellsten Menschen der Welt, und ich bin auf dem vierten Platz mit einer Muskelzerrung. All das ging mir durch den Kopf, w\u00e4hrend ich lief.<br\/>\n<br\/>Aber ich sah mich schon mental laufen, bevor ich tats\u00e4chlich k\u00f6rperlich lief. Als ich vor dem Start hinter den Bl\u00f6cken stand, lief ich bereits mein gesamtes Rennen. Ich wusste genau, wo ich sein w\u00fcrde, wann ich bestimmte Dinge tun musste. Das ganze Rennen lief auf Hochtouren. Und dann h\u00f6rte ich den Ansager sagen: \u201cUnd Tommie Smith l\u00e4uft bis jetzt ziemlich gut.\u201d Ich h\u00f6rte das. Und ich dachte: \u201cZiemlich gut? Ich muss in ziemlich guter Form sein.\u201d Und ich lief an John vorbei, der auch \u00fcberrascht aussah. Als ich die Ziellinie \u00fcberquerte, hob ich die Arme und l\u00e4chelte, und das war genau die gleiche Haltung wie die von Usain Bolt im Finale von Peking. Doch das L\u00e4cheln h\u00f6rte kurz darauf abrupt auf, weil mir die ganze Politik durch den Kopf ging.<br\/>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"col articleText\">\n        <div ><br\/><strong>Sie haben Ihren Erfolg in Mexiko genutzt und auf dem Siegertreppchen f\u00fcr Ihren Kampf f\u00fcr die Menschenrechte geworben, indem Sie bei der Siegerehrung die Faust mit einem schwarzen Handschuh erhoben und den Kopf gesenkt haben. Wann entstand die Idee, die Olympischen Spiele als B\u00fchne zu nutzen, um auf Ungerechtigkeiten aufmerksam zu machen?<\/strong><br\/>\n<br\/>Als die schwarzen US-Athleten beschlossen, die Spiele nicht zu boykottieren, was urspr\u00fcnglich geplant war, war ich nicht bereit, das ganze Thema fallen zu lassen. Ich erinnere mich, wie ich auf einer Bank sa\u00df und dachte: \u201cWas soll ich nur tun? \u201cIch kann verstehen, dass sie an den Spielen teilnehmen wollten. Es gab so viele Athleten in der Mannschaft, die hart gearbeitet haben, um dorthin zu kommen, wo sie jetzt sind. Aber sie waren in Kalifornien. Wenn man weiter nach S\u00fcden ging, nach Mississippi und Alabama, brauchten die Kinder dort eine Chance. Was auf der Trib\u00fcne geschah, war inzwischen in der ganzen Welt bekannt. Und viele Kinder erhielten dadurch Energie, weil es sie repr\u00e4sentierte. Nicht nur Tommie Smith und John Carlos. Wir waren nur die Antriebsmaschinen, die die Kraft auf andere ausstrahlten, um auch den sozialen Lauf fortzusetzen. So habe ich gedacht. Ich springe \u00fcber die Realit\u00e4t, weil ich wei\u00df, dass sie eines Tages real sein wird.<br\/>\n<br\/><strong>Aber danach gab es Konsequenzen?<\/strong><br\/>\n<br\/>Es gab sogar schon vorher Konsequenzen. Ich wurde bedroht, in Restaurants, in die ich ging, nicht bedient, ich wurde beschimpft, ich bekam keinen Job.<br\/>\n<br\/>Danach war ich nicht mehr in der Lage, international zu konkurrieren. Mexico City war mein letzter Wettkampf. Auf dem H\u00f6hepunkt meiner Karriere, im Alter von 24 Jahren, musste ich aufh\u00f6ren.<br\/>\n<br\/><strong>Haben Sie jemals bereut, dass Sie das getan haben, was Sie getan haben?<\/strong><br\/>\n<br\/>Niemals. Ich bedaure nicht, was ich getan habe. Mir gefiel der Gedanke nicht, dass jemand anderes mich davon abhielt, das zu tun, was ich danach tun wollte. Aber dann habe ich gesehen, wie gut es jungen Kindern getan hat, und das hat einen globalen Gedanken ausgel\u00f6st.<br\/>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- row image multi 1 -->\n<div class=\"row rowImages2 spacing\">\n\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row inner\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t    <div class=\"bgimage\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.797619047619  ; background-image: url('https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/2TommieSmith_S.jpg'); background-size: cover;background-position: 50% 0%;width:100%\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"descr\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTommie und seine Frau Delois. Als sie im August in Herzogenaurach waren, feierten sie ihren vierzehnten Hochzeitstag.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t    <div class=\"bgimage\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.797619047619  ; background-image: url('https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/TommieSmith_S.jpg'); background-size: cover;background-position: 50% 0%;width:100%\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"descr\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTommie im PUMA Store in Herzo, wo er sich die neueste Running-Kollektion ansieht.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- row two columns -->\n<div class=\"row rowTwoColumnsWide spacing\">\n    <div class=\"col articleText\">\n        <div ><br\/><strong>Wie sind Sie und PUMA zusammengekommen?<\/strong><br\/>\n<br\/>Als ich im College trainierte, trug ich Adidas. Ich bin zehn Weltrekorde in Adidas-Schuhen gelaufen, ohne Geld zu bekommen. Aber die wei\u00dfen Werfer bekamen Geld. Ich wunderte mich, warum sie immer neue Schuhe anhatten und dachte: \u201cAlle diese wei\u00dfen Typen sind reich. Die haben immer neue Schuhe.\u201d Aber sie bekamen ihre Schuhe umsonst, und Geld gab es obendrein.<br\/>\n<br\/>Eines Tages, 1966, kam mein bester Freund auf mich zu und sagte: \u201cTommie, du hast zwei Weltrekorde und dein Auto l\u00e4uft nicht einmal.\u201d - \u201cUnd was hat das mit einem Auto zu tun?\u201d - \u201cDu kannst f\u00fcr das, was du tust, bezahlt werden. Wie w\u00e4re es, wenn ich dir ein paar Leute zeigen k\u00f6nnte, denen du wichtiger bist als das, was du hast und was du nicht hast. Was w\u00fcrdest du davon halten?\u201d Sagte ich: \u201cDie gibt es nicht.\u201d - \u201cDoch, es gibt sie und sie w\u00fcrden gerne mit dir sprechen.\u201d Und so lernte ich Rudolf kennen. Er sa\u00df da in seinem B\u00fcro und l\u00e4chelte. Er zeigte mir den Schuh und ich beschloss, dass ich diesen Schuh gerne tragen w\u00fcrde. Es gab keine Vertragsunterzeichnung oder \u00e4hnliches. Ich kam zur\u00fcck nach Hause und fing an, Dinge zu kaufen, die ich vorher nie bekommen hatte. Zum Beispiel neue Schuhe oder neue PUMA-Uniformen. Und ziemlich bald kam Geld herein. Und so wurde ich ein PUMA-Athlet.<br\/>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"col articleText\">\n        <div ><br\/><strong>Worauf achten Sie beim Scouting von Sportlern?<\/strong><br\/>\n<br\/>Als Leichtathletik-Trainer w\u00fcrde ich nicht die Nummer 1 oder 2 in der Stadt oder im Bundesland anwerben. Ich suche nach den Leuten, die die Nummern 3, 4, 5 oder 6 sind, wenn ich rekrutiere. Ich suche nach den schnellsten Leuten mit den gr\u00f6\u00dften geistigen F\u00e4higkeiten. Wenn man schon denkt, man hat es - dann fangen die Probleme an. Man kann sie einfach nicht trainieren. Es ist einfacher mit einem Kind, das aufgeschlossen ist und etwas \u00fcber Geschwindigkeit lernen und wissen will.<br\/>\n<br\/><strong>Treiben Sie heute noch Sport?<\/strong><br\/>\n<br\/>Ich habe keine Wahl. Ich kann nicht lehren, was ich nicht tue. Ich werde mindestens 18 Meilen oder mehr pro Woche laufen. Das h\u00e4ngt davon ab, ob meine Frau mich den ganzen Tag im Haus bleiben l\u00e4sst.<br\/>\n<br\/><strong>Nach 1968 trainierte Tommie Sportler und lehrte Soziologie an der Universit\u00e4t.<\/strong><br\/>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- row headline -->\n<div class=\"row headlineBlock rowSingleColumnWide\">\n    <div class=\"col\" style=\"margin-bottom: 2px;\">\n        <h2 >Die stille Geste<\/h2>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- row image slider -->\n\n<div class=\"row rowSlider1 spacing\">\n    <div class=\"col\">\n        <div class=\"arrowCircleCenter arrowBorder swiperoutside-button-prev swipeprevb44e0fbf-b0c2-438b-8eeb-70c540bc4730\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\t<div id=\"swipe_b44e0fbf-b0c2-438b-8eeb-70c540bc4730\" class=\"swiper myswiper scrollAnim\" data-ssize=\"1\" data-id=\"b44e0fbf-b0c2-438b-8eeb-70c540bc4730\">\n\t\t<div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n                    <div class=\"swiper-slide swiper-slide bgimage\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.69230769230769 ;background-image: url(https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/TommieSmith_M.jpg);background-position: 50% 0%;\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"swiper-slide swiper-slide bgimage\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.69230769230769 ;background-image: url(https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/2TommieSmith_M.jpg);background-position: 50% 0%;\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n        <div class=\"col\">\n        <div class=\"arrowCircleCenter arrowBorder swiperoutside-button-next swipenextb44e0fbf-b0c2-438b-8eeb-70c540bc4730\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<!-- row headline -->\n<div class=\"row headlineBlock rowSingleColumnWide\">\n    <div class=\"col\" style=\"margin-bottom: 2px;\">\n        <h2 >Mehr Informationen<\/h2>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"row articleMulti2 spacing\">\n\t    <div class=\"col articleTeaser\" >\n\t\t\t<a class=\"hoverzooma  scrollAnim\" href=\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/sports\/train-like-usain-bolt\/\" \n\t\t\t     tabindex=\"-1\" \n\t\t\t    id=\"1954\"\n\t\t\t     style=\"width:100%;position:relative;overflow:hidden;\t\t\t    aspect-ratio:1\t\t\t    ;\" >\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Usain Bolt\"\n\t\t\t    class=\"hoverZoom\"\n\t\t\t    src=\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/GetFaster_H.jpg\" style=\"transition: 0.35s all;height:100%;width:100%;\t\t\t    object-position: 50% 0%; object-fit: cover;\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/category\/sports\/\" class=\"secondary2\" style=\"margin-top: 17px;\">Sport<\/a>\n\t        <h4>Willst du schneller laufen?<\/h4>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"description shortExcerpt\">\n\t\t\t\tDann trainieren Sie doch einfach wie Usain Bolt. Haben Sie sich jemals gefragt, wie sein Trainingsprogramm funktioniert? Hier teilt er seine Trainingstipps mit CATch Up.\nLesen Sie weiter, wenn Sie schneller werden wollen.\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a class=\"primary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/sports\/train-like-usain-bolt\/\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-trp-gettext=\"\">Story lesen<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t    <div class=\"col articleTeaser\" >\n\t\t\t<a class=\"hoverzooma  scrollAnim\" href=\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/sports\/thats-what-makes-me-a-legend\/\" \n\t\t\t     tabindex=\"-1\" \n\t\t\t    id=\"1036\"\n\t\t\t     style=\"width:100%;position:relative;overflow:hidden;\t\t\t    aspect-ratio:1\t\t\t    ;\" >\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Usain Bolt and other sprinters running\"\n\t\t\t    class=\"hoverZoom\"\n\t\t\t    src=\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ALegend_H.jpg\" style=\"transition: 0.35s all;height:100%;width:100%;\t\t\t    object-position: 50% 0%; object-fit: cover;\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/category\/sports\/\" class=\"secondary2\" style=\"margin-top: 17px;\">Sport<\/a>\n\t        <h4>Das macht mich zu einer Legende<\/h4>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"description shortExcerpt\">\n\t\t\t\tEr hat geliefert, als es darauf ankam. Der sechsfache Olympiasieger und Weltrekordhalter Usain Bolt holte bei den Leichtathletik-Weltmeisterschaften 2015 in Peking drei Goldmedaillen.\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a class=\"primary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/sports\/thats-what-makes-me-a-legend\/\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-trp-gettext=\"\">Story lesen<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mit elf Weltrekorden ist Tommie Smith zweifellos einer der gr\u00f6\u00dften Sprinter aller Zeiten. Seine bemerkenswerten Leistungen auf der Laufbahn wurden jedoch von der Aufregung um seine \u201cstille Geste\u201d im Kampf f\u00fcr Menschenrechte bei den Olympischen Spielen 1968 in Mexiko \u00fcberschattet. Nachdem er f\u00fcr die Vereinigten Staaten in Weltrekordzeit die Goldmedaille im 200-Meter-Lauf gewonnen hatte, war der schwarze Aktivist anschlie\u00dfend arbeitslos und wurde von vielen in seinem eigenen Land gehasst.<br \/>\nCATch Up traf den 70-J\u00e4hrigen in der PUMA-Zentrale in Herzogenaurach zum Interview, als er seinem alten Sponsor einen Besuch abstattete.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4137,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"is_top_article":false,"is_featured_article":true,"EasyPostViewCounter":17816,"meta-headline":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"class_list":["post-2903","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"fullData":{"ID":2903,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2014-09-08 16:02:24","post_date_gmt":"2014-09-08 14:02:24","post_content":"<!-- wp:puma\/row-post-header {\"image\":{\"width\":1140,\"height\":640,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/TommieSmith_H.jpg\",\"filesize\":132988,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_H-300x168.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":168,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":12051},\"large\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_H-1024x575.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":575,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":104059},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_H-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":6104},\"medium_large\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_H-768x431.jpg\",\"width\":768,\"height\":431,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":60203},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_H-18x10.jpg\",\"width\":18,\"height\":10,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":466}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":4137,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/TommieSmith_H.jpg\",\"title\":\"tommiesmith_h\",\"aspect_ratio\":1.78125,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0},\"headline\":\"\\u0022I WOULD HAVE BEEN FASTER THAN USAIN BOLT\\u0022\",\"content\":\"Tommie Smith and his powerful statement\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-text-single {\"content\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;Holding eleven world records simultaneously, \\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;Tommie Smith is undoubtedly one of the greatest sprinters of all times\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;. His remarkable achievements on the track, however, were overcast by the furor of his \u201cSilent Gesture\u201d in the fight for Human Rights at the Olympic Games 1968 in Mexico. Having just sprinted to gold in world record time over 200 meters for the United States, the black activist found himself jobless and hated by many in his own country afterwards.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;CATch Up met the 70-year old at the PUMA Headquarters in Herzogenaurach for an interview when he paid his old sponsor a visit.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"width\":\"Wide\",\"aspect\":\"0\",\"style\":\"2b\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-two-columns {\"contentLeft\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;Within the span of one year \u2013 from May 1966 to May 1967 \u2013 you sprinted to ten world records over 200 and 400 meters. The eleventh world record came from the 1968 Olympic Games 200m race in Mexico City. What was your most favourite sports moment ever?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;My most favourite sports moment was running the 400 meters in world record time in 1967 at San Jose State University, because it was my first 400m world record. I ran 44.5 seconds on a dirt track with four spikes. If I had had today\u2019s conditions back then, I am sure I could have run 43 seconds. But I was in college, studying and did not really have the time to concentrate on training. On top, my diet was zero and of course the incentives were zero. So I ran for the love of the sports, for the excitement of the competition. The winnings of course would come, if I was good enough in that competitive effort.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;If you had worn Usain Bolt\u2019s shoes back then, would you have been faster than he is?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;Of course, I would have been faster. Given today\u2019s technology such as the shoes, the tracks and not having to go to school, I could have run the 200 meters in 18.7 seconds. Usain is not in college. He is training and preparing. I on the other hand never ran competitively outside of college. That took a lot away from my training.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;Nevertheless, your track record is astounding. What made you so successful and such an outstanding athlete?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;I did what others wouldn\u2019t do. Like training at two o\u2019clock in the morning. Getting up out of my bed and going to the track. I was stopped a couple of times by the police, because I was out on the street going to the track, when nobody else was up. I climbed over the fence to get to the track to train and I was already a world record holder then. Things like that made me feel that I was better, because I did something that the other kids wouldn\u2019t do.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"contentRight\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;Also my thought process was different. It\u2019s about the usage of your muscle to the maximum without tensing up. In other words: The brain controls the body. I was never completely conditioned, unless my mind was conditioned first. Pain is obvious, but how one handles it, isn\u2019t. Everyone handles pain differently. I was elitist in handling pain. What was pain to me training at two o\u2019clock in the morning?\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;I would train on weekends, when the other guys were partying, I did not join any fraternities and I did not have any girls. It was about the little simple things.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;So the mental condition is very important to be a successful athlete?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;For me, yes, it was. I tried to make myself better mentally. Today\u2019s mentality is also a lot to put blame on certain conditions or circumstances. If it is raining outside and no one else is training in the rain but me, I am going to be better than the others in rain. Now, if there was more rain in my lane and everyone else had sunshine, then I would have something to complain about. But I do not put complaints where work can overtake stupidity of making false accusations.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;What are your memories about that historic 200m race in Mexico in 1968?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;That race had a whole history of firsts for me. I wore the PUMA velcro shoes for the first time. It was the first time in the history that the race was run under 20 flat. But it was also the last race I ran.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"width\":\"Wide\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-image-single {\"images\":[{\"width\":1510,\"height\":840,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/1TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"filesize\":231592,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-300x167.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":167,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":14588},\"large\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-1024x570.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":570,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":136553},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":6468},\"medium_large\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-768x427.jpg\",\"width\":768,\"height\":427,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":82661},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-18x10.jpg\",\"width\":18,\"height\":10,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":407}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":2905,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Mexico 1968: Tommie races to gold over 200m in the world record time of 19.83. It was the first time the 20-second barrier was broken.\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/1TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"title\":\"1TommieSmith_S\",\"aspect_ratio\":1.7976190476190477,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0}],\"showCaptions\":[true],\"image\":{\"width\":1510,\"height\":840,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/1TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"filesize\":231592,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-300x167.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":167,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":14588},\"large\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-1024x570.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":570,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":136553},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":6468},\"medium_large\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-768x427.jpg\",\"width\":768,\"height\":427,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":82661},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-18x10.jpg\",\"width\":18,\"height\":10,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":407}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":2905,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Mexico 1968: Tommie races to gold over 200m in the world record time of 19.83. It was the first time the 20-second barrier was broken.\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/1TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"title\":\"1TommieSmith_S\",\"aspect_ratio\":1.7976190476190477,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0},\"style\":\"Wide\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-two-columns {\"contentLeft\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;But only few people know that you were injured.\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;Yes, I had pulled a muscle earlier that day in the semi-finals. I had been turmoiled by people, they called me or wrote letters saying: \u201cYou are going to die. We are going to kill you, black Nigger.\u201d So when that injury happened and I suddenly felt the pain, I thought I had been shot. And I looked down and I saw no blood, and I thought: \u201cOh, it\u2019s okay. I just pulled a muscle.\u201d So they took me to the medical room and they put me on a table and put ice on it.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;And then we got to the 200m final. I looked at the others and I said to myself: \u201cDon\u2019t be a chicken. Be a man. I am fussing myself now.\u201d That really hurt me badly, because I was in trouble mentally. I saw John Carlos and Peter Norman. All these folks were world-class athletes. And they were obviously faster out of the blocks than I was. And I thought: \u201cThis is it.\u201d\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;When I heard the gun, there was no thought. There was just blank. And when I realized what was happening I was mid turn. What a realization! I was in fourth place. Here is the race of my life, injured, with eight of the fastest people of the world and I am in fourth place with a pulled muscle. All this was going through my mind while I was running.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;But I saw myself running mentally before I actually ran physically. When I was standing behind the blocks before the start, I already ran my total race. I knew exactly where I would be, when I had to do certain things. The whole race was at full speed. And then I heard the announcer saying: \u201cAnd Tommie Smith is running pretty well so far.\u201d I heard that. And I thought: \u201cPretty well? I must be in pretty good shape.\u201d And I ran by John and he looked surprised, too. When I crossed the finish I raised my arms and smiled and this was exactly the same posture as Usain Bolt\u2019s in the Beijing finals. However, the smile stopped abruptly shortly after because of all the politics that was on my mind.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"contentRight\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;You made use of your success in Mexico and used the victory podium to promote your fight for Human Rights, raising your fist with a black glove and your head bowed during the award ceremony. When did that idea come up to use the Olympics as a stage to raise awareness for injustice?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;Once the US black athletes decided not to boycott the Games, which had been the initial plan, I was not prepared to drop the whole issue. I remember, sitting on the side of a bench, thinking: \u201cWhat am I going to do? \u201c I can understand that they wanted to compete. There were so many athletes on the team who worked hard to get to where they got. But they were in California. If you went further south, to Mississippi and Alabama, the kids there needed a chance. What happened in the stand was known throughout the world now. And a lot of kids received energy from this, because it represented them. Not just Tommie Smith and John Carlos. We were just the operating machines, that sent out the power to others to also continue social running. That is how I thought. I leap over reality knowing someday it is going to be real.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;But there were consequences afterwards?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;There were even consequences before. I was being threatened, not being served at restaurants that I went to, being called names, not being able to get a job.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;Afterwards, I was not longer able to compete internationally. Mexico City was my last competition. At the height of my career at the age of 24, I had to quit.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;Did you ever have moments of regret that you did what you did?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;No way. No regrets about what I did. I disliked the idea that someone else stopped me from doing what I wanted to do after that. But then I saw what good it did to young kids and it started a global thought.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"width\":\"Wide\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-image-multi {\"images\":[{\"width\":1510,\"height\":840,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/2TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"filesize\":293242,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_S-300x167.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":167,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":14309},\"large\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_S-1024x570.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":570,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":139692},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_S-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":7531},\"medium_large\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_S-768x427.jpg\",\"width\":768,\"height\":427,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":81044},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_S-18x10.jpg\",\"width\":18,\"height\":10,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":453}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":2907,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Tommie and his wife Delois. When being in Herzogenaurach in August, they celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary.\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/2TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"title\":\"2TommieSmith_S\",\"aspect_ratio\":1.7976190476190477,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0},{\"width\":1510,\"height\":840,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"filesize\":165579,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_S-300x167.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":167,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":10681},\"large\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_S-1024x570.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":570,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":85817},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_S-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":6629},\"medium_large\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_S-768x427.jpg\",\"width\":768,\"height\":427,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":50215},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_S-18x10.jpg\",\"width\":18,\"height\":10,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":427}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":2910,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Tommie in the PUMA Store in Herzo, checking out the latest Running collection.\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"title\":\"TommieSmith_S\",\"aspect_ratio\":1.7976190476190477,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0}],\"showCaptions\":[true,true],\"aspect\":\"0\",\"style\":\"2\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-two-columns {\"contentLeft\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;How did you and PUMA get together?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;When I was training in College, I was wearing Adidas. I ran ten world records in Adidas shoes without getting any money. But the white throwers were getting money. I wondered why they always had new shoes on and I thought: \u201cAll those white guys are rich. They always have new shoes.\u201d But they were getting their shoes for free, plus money on top.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;One day in 1966, my best friend came up to me and said: \u201cTommie, you got two world records and your car isn\u2019t even running.\u201d \u2013 \u201cNow, what has this got to do with a car?\u201d \u2013 \u201cYou can get paid for what you do. What if I can show you some people who care more about you than what you have and what you don\u2019t have. What would you think?\u201d I said: \u201cThey don\u2019t exist.\u201d \u2013 \u201cThey do exist and they would like to talk to you.\u201d And this is when I met Rudolf. He was sitting there in his office, smiling. He showed me the shoe and I decided that I would like to wear that shoe. There was no contract signing or something like that. I came back home and started getting things that I had never gotten before. Like new shoes or new PUMA uniforms. And pretty soon, there was money coming in. And that is how I became a PUMA athlete.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"contentRight\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;What do you look out for when scouting athletes?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;As a track and field coach, I would not recruit Number 1 or 2 in the city or in the state. I go after the people who are numbers 3, 4, 5 or 6 when I am recruiting. I am after the fastest people with the greatest mind capacities. When you already think, you have it \u2013 that is when the trouble starts. You just can\u2019t coach them. It is easier with a kid that is open-minded and who wants to learn and know about speed.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;Do you still do sports today?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;I have no choice. I cannot teach what I don\u2019t do. I will at least run 18 miles straight or more per week. Depends if my wife lets me stay in the house all day.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;After 1968, Tommie coached athletes and taught sociology at university.\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"width\":\"Wide\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-headline {\"h1\":\"The Silent Gesture\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-image-slider {\"migrateBlock\":true,\"title\":\"The Silent Gesture\",\"images\":[{\"width\":720,\"height\":1040,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/TommieSmith_M.jpg\",\"filesize\":73972,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_M-208x300.jpg\",\"width\":208,\"height\":300,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":13765},\"large\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_M-709x1024.jpg\",\"width\":709,\"height\":1024,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":77736},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_M-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":5980},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_M-8x12.jpg\",\"width\":8,\"height\":12,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":332}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":2909,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Athletes Tommie Smith (middle) and John Carlos (right) making a ...\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/TommieSmith_M.jpg\",\"title\":\"TommieSmith_M\",\"aspect_ratio\":0.6923076923076923,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0},{\"width\":720,\"height\":1040,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/2TommieSmith_M.jpg\",\"filesize\":166024,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_M-208x300.jpg\",\"width\":208,\"height\":300,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":16382},\"large\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_M-709x1024.jpg\",\"width\":709,\"height\":1024,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":151628},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_M-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":7475},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_M-8x12.jpg\",\"width\":8,\"height\":12,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":364}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":2906,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Athletes Tommie Smith (middle) and John Carlos (right) making a \\u0022Silent Gesture\\u0022 at the Olympic Games 1968 in Mexico to raise awareness for racial injustice\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/2TommieSmith_M.jpg\",\"title\":\"2TommieSmith_M\",\"aspect_ratio\":0.6923076923076923,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0}],\"size\":\"1\",\"aspect\":\"0\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-headline {\"h1\":\"Check out more\",\"width\":\"Wide\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-article-multi {\"migrateBlock\":true,\"numArticles\":2,\"title\":\"Check out more\",\"icon\":\"icon-puma\",\"manualArticles\":[{\"id\":1954},{\"id\":1036}],\"mode\":\"manual\",\"aspect\":\"1\"} \/-->","post_title":"Tommie Smith and his powerful statement","post_excerpt":"Holding eleven world records simultaneously, Tommie Smith is undoubtedly one of the greatest sprinters of all times. His remarkable achievements on the track, however, were overcast by the furor of his \u201cSilent Gesture\u201d in the fight for Human Rights at the Olympic Games 1968 in Mexico. Having just sprinted to gold in world record time over 200 meters for the United States, the black activist found himself jobless and hated by many in his own country afterwards.\nCATch Up met the 70-year old at the PUMA Headquarters in Herzogenaurach for an interview when he paid his old sponsor a visit.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"tommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-09-19 15:08:09","post_modified_gmt":"2025-09-19 15:08:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/?p=2903","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw","ancestors":[],"page_template":"","post_category":[18],"tags_input":[],"id":2903,"author":"5","date":"2014-09-08 16:02:24","date_gmt":"2014-09-08 14:02:24","content":"<!-- wp:puma\/row-post-header {\"image\":{\"width\":1140,\"height\":640,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/TommieSmith_H.jpg\",\"filesize\":132988,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_H-300x168.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":168,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":12051},\"large\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_H-1024x575.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":575,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":104059},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_H-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":6104},\"medium_large\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_H-768x431.jpg\",\"width\":768,\"height\":431,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":60203},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_H-18x10.jpg\",\"width\":18,\"height\":10,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":466}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":4137,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/TommieSmith_H.jpg\",\"title\":\"tommiesmith_h\",\"aspect_ratio\":1.78125,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0},\"headline\":\"\\u0022I WOULD HAVE BEEN FASTER THAN USAIN BOLT\\u0022\",\"content\":\"Tommie Smith and his powerful statement\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-text-single {\"content\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;Holding eleven world records simultaneously, \\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;Tommie Smith is undoubtedly one of the greatest sprinters of all times\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;. His remarkable achievements on the track, however, were overcast by the furor of his \u201cSilent Gesture\u201d in the fight for Human Rights at the Olympic Games 1968 in Mexico. Having just sprinted to gold in world record time over 200 meters for the United States, the black activist found himself jobless and hated by many in his own country afterwards.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;CATch Up met the 70-year old at the PUMA Headquarters in Herzogenaurach for an interview when he paid his old sponsor a visit.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"width\":\"Wide\",\"aspect\":\"0\",\"style\":\"2b\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-two-columns {\"contentLeft\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;Within the span of one year \u2013 from May 1966 to May 1967 \u2013 you sprinted to ten world records over 200 and 400 meters. The eleventh world record came from the 1968 Olympic Games 200m race in Mexico City. What was your most favourite sports moment ever?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;My most favourite sports moment was running the 400 meters in world record time in 1967 at San Jose State University, because it was my first 400m world record. I ran 44.5 seconds on a dirt track with four spikes. If I had had today\u2019s conditions back then, I am sure I could have run 43 seconds. But I was in college, studying and did not really have the time to concentrate on training. On top, my diet was zero and of course the incentives were zero. So I ran for the love of the sports, for the excitement of the competition. The winnings of course would come, if I was good enough in that competitive effort.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;If you had worn Usain Bolt\u2019s shoes back then, would you have been faster than he is?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;Of course, I would have been faster. Given today\u2019s technology such as the shoes, the tracks and not having to go to school, I could have run the 200 meters in 18.7 seconds. Usain is not in college. He is training and preparing. I on the other hand never ran competitively outside of college. That took a lot away from my training.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;Nevertheless, your track record is astounding. What made you so successful and such an outstanding athlete?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;I did what others wouldn\u2019t do. Like training at two o\u2019clock in the morning. Getting up out of my bed and going to the track. I was stopped a couple of times by the police, because I was out on the street going to the track, when nobody else was up. I climbed over the fence to get to the track to train and I was already a world record holder then. Things like that made me feel that I was better, because I did something that the other kids wouldn\u2019t do.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"contentRight\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;Also my thought process was different. It\u2019s about the usage of your muscle to the maximum without tensing up. In other words: The brain controls the body. I was never completely conditioned, unless my mind was conditioned first. Pain is obvious, but how one handles it, isn\u2019t. Everyone handles pain differently. I was elitist in handling pain. What was pain to me training at two o\u2019clock in the morning?\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;I would train on weekends, when the other guys were partying, I did not join any fraternities and I did not have any girls. It was about the little simple things.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;So the mental condition is very important to be a successful athlete?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;For me, yes, it was. I tried to make myself better mentally. Today\u2019s mentality is also a lot to put blame on certain conditions or circumstances. If it is raining outside and no one else is training in the rain but me, I am going to be better than the others in rain. Now, if there was more rain in my lane and everyone else had sunshine, then I would have something to complain about. But I do not put complaints where work can overtake stupidity of making false accusations.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;What are your memories about that historic 200m race in Mexico in 1968?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;That race had a whole history of firsts for me. I wore the PUMA velcro shoes for the first time. It was the first time in the history that the race was run under 20 flat. But it was also the last race I ran.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"width\":\"Wide\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-image-single {\"images\":[{\"width\":1510,\"height\":840,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/1TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"filesize\":231592,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-300x167.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":167,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":14588},\"large\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-1024x570.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":570,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":136553},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":6468},\"medium_large\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-768x427.jpg\",\"width\":768,\"height\":427,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":82661},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-18x10.jpg\",\"width\":18,\"height\":10,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":407}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":2905,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Mexico 1968: Tommie races to gold over 200m in the world record time of 19.83. It was the first time the 20-second barrier was broken.\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/1TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"title\":\"1TommieSmith_S\",\"aspect_ratio\":1.7976190476190477,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0}],\"showCaptions\":[true],\"image\":{\"width\":1510,\"height\":840,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/1TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"filesize\":231592,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-300x167.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":167,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":14588},\"large\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-1024x570.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":570,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":136553},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":6468},\"medium_large\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-768x427.jpg\",\"width\":768,\"height\":427,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":82661},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"1TommieSmith_S-18x10.jpg\",\"width\":18,\"height\":10,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":407}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":2905,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Mexico 1968: Tommie races to gold over 200m in the world record time of 19.83. It was the first time the 20-second barrier was broken.\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/1TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"title\":\"1TommieSmith_S\",\"aspect_ratio\":1.7976190476190477,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0},\"style\":\"Wide\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-two-columns {\"contentLeft\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;But only few people know that you were injured.\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;Yes, I had pulled a muscle earlier that day in the semi-finals. I had been turmoiled by people, they called me or wrote letters saying: \u201cYou are going to die. We are going to kill you, black Nigger.\u201d So when that injury happened and I suddenly felt the pain, I thought I had been shot. And I looked down and I saw no blood, and I thought: \u201cOh, it\u2019s okay. I just pulled a muscle.\u201d So they took me to the medical room and they put me on a table and put ice on it.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;And then we got to the 200m final. I looked at the others and I said to myself: \u201cDon\u2019t be a chicken. Be a man. I am fussing myself now.\u201d That really hurt me badly, because I was in trouble mentally. I saw John Carlos and Peter Norman. All these folks were world-class athletes. And they were obviously faster out of the blocks than I was. And I thought: \u201cThis is it.\u201d\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;When I heard the gun, there was no thought. There was just blank. And when I realized what was happening I was mid turn. What a realization! I was in fourth place. Here is the race of my life, injured, with eight of the fastest people of the world and I am in fourth place with a pulled muscle. All this was going through my mind while I was running.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;But I saw myself running mentally before I actually ran physically. When I was standing behind the blocks before the start, I already ran my total race. I knew exactly where I would be, when I had to do certain things. The whole race was at full speed. And then I heard the announcer saying: \u201cAnd Tommie Smith is running pretty well so far.\u201d I heard that. And I thought: \u201cPretty well? I must be in pretty good shape.\u201d And I ran by John and he looked surprised, too. When I crossed the finish I raised my arms and smiled and this was exactly the same posture as Usain Bolt\u2019s in the Beijing finals. However, the smile stopped abruptly shortly after because of all the politics that was on my mind.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"contentRight\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;You made use of your success in Mexico and used the victory podium to promote your fight for Human Rights, raising your fist with a black glove and your head bowed during the award ceremony. When did that idea come up to use the Olympics as a stage to raise awareness for injustice?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;Once the US black athletes decided not to boycott the Games, which had been the initial plan, I was not prepared to drop the whole issue. I remember, sitting on the side of a bench, thinking: \u201cWhat am I going to do? \u201c I can understand that they wanted to compete. There were so many athletes on the team who worked hard to get to where they got. But they were in California. If you went further south, to Mississippi and Alabama, the kids there needed a chance. What happened in the stand was known throughout the world now. And a lot of kids received energy from this, because it represented them. Not just Tommie Smith and John Carlos. We were just the operating machines, that sent out the power to others to also continue social running. That is how I thought. I leap over reality knowing someday it is going to be real.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;But there were consequences afterwards?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;There were even consequences before. I was being threatened, not being served at restaurants that I went to, being called names, not being able to get a job.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;Afterwards, I was not longer able to compete internationally. Mexico City was my last competition. At the height of my career at the age of 24, I had to quit.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;Did you ever have moments of regret that you did what you did?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;No way. No regrets about what I did. I disliked the idea that someone else stopped me from doing what I wanted to do after that. But then I saw what good it did to young kids and it started a global thought.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"width\":\"Wide\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-image-multi {\"images\":[{\"width\":1510,\"height\":840,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/2TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"filesize\":293242,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_S-300x167.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":167,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":14309},\"large\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_S-1024x570.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":570,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":139692},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_S-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":7531},\"medium_large\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_S-768x427.jpg\",\"width\":768,\"height\":427,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":81044},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_S-18x10.jpg\",\"width\":18,\"height\":10,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":453}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":2907,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Tommie and his wife Delois. When being in Herzogenaurach in August, they celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary.\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/2TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"title\":\"2TommieSmith_S\",\"aspect_ratio\":1.7976190476190477,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0},{\"width\":1510,\"height\":840,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"filesize\":165579,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_S-300x167.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":167,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":10681},\"large\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_S-1024x570.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":570,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":85817},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_S-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":6629},\"medium_large\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_S-768x427.jpg\",\"width\":768,\"height\":427,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":50215},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_S-18x10.jpg\",\"width\":18,\"height\":10,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":427}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":2910,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Tommie in the PUMA Store in Herzo, checking out the latest Running collection.\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/TommieSmith_S.jpg\",\"title\":\"TommieSmith_S\",\"aspect_ratio\":1.7976190476190477,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0}],\"showCaptions\":[true,true],\"aspect\":\"0\",\"style\":\"2\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-two-columns {\"contentLeft\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;How did you and PUMA get together?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;When I was training in College, I was wearing Adidas. I ran ten world records in Adidas shoes without getting any money. But the white throwers were getting money. I wondered why they always had new shoes on and I thought: \u201cAll those white guys are rich. They always have new shoes.\u201d But they were getting their shoes for free, plus money on top.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;One day in 1966, my best friend came up to me and said: \u201cTommie, you got two world records and your car isn\u2019t even running.\u201d \u2013 \u201cNow, what has this got to do with a car?\u201d \u2013 \u201cYou can get paid for what you do. What if I can show you some people who care more about you than what you have and what you don\u2019t have. What would you think?\u201d I said: \u201cThey don\u2019t exist.\u201d \u2013 \u201cThey do exist and they would like to talk to you.\u201d And this is when I met Rudolf. He was sitting there in his office, smiling. He showed me the shoe and I decided that I would like to wear that shoe. There was no contract signing or something like that. I came back home and started getting things that I had never gotten before. Like new shoes or new PUMA uniforms. And pretty soon, there was money coming in. And that is how I became a PUMA athlete.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"contentRight\":\"\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;What do you look out for when scouting athletes?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;As a track and field coach, I would not recruit Number 1 or 2 in the city or in the state. I go after the people who are numbers 3, 4, 5 or 6 when I am recruiting. I am after the fastest people with the greatest mind capacities. When you already think, you have it \u2013 that is when the trouble starts. You just can\u2019t coach them. It is easier with a kid that is open-minded and who wants to learn and know about speed.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;Do you still do sports today?\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;I have no choice. I cannot teach what I don\u2019t do. I will at least run 18 miles straight or more per week. Depends if my wife lets me stay in the house all day.\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;strong\\u0026gt;After 1968, Tommie coached athletes and taught sociology at university.\\u0026lt;\/strong\\u0026gt;\\u0026lt;br\/\\u0026gt;\\n\",\"width\":\"Wide\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-headline {\"h1\":\"The Silent Gesture\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-image-slider {\"migrateBlock\":true,\"title\":\"The Silent Gesture\",\"images\":[{\"width\":720,\"height\":1040,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/TommieSmith_M.jpg\",\"filesize\":73972,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_M-208x300.jpg\",\"width\":208,\"height\":300,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":13765},\"large\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_M-709x1024.jpg\",\"width\":709,\"height\":1024,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":77736},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_M-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":5980},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"TommieSmith_M-8x12.jpg\",\"width\":8,\"height\":12,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":332}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":2909,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Athletes Tommie Smith (middle) and John Carlos (right) making a ...\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/TommieSmith_M.jpg\",\"title\":\"TommieSmith_M\",\"aspect_ratio\":0.6923076923076923,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0},{\"width\":720,\"height\":1040,\"file\":\"2014\/09\/2TommieSmith_M.jpg\",\"filesize\":166024,\"sizes\":{\"medium\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_M-208x300.jpg\",\"width\":208,\"height\":300,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":16382},\"large\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_M-709x1024.jpg\",\"width\":709,\"height\":1024,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":151628},\"thumbnail\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_M-150x150.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":7475},\"trp-custom-language-flag\":{\"file\":\"2TommieSmith_M-8x12.jpg\",\"width\":8,\"height\":12,\"mime-type\":\"image\/jpeg\",\"filesize\":364}},\"image_meta\":{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\",\"keywords\":[]},\"id\":2906,\"alt\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Athletes Tommie Smith (middle) and John Carlos (right) making a \\u0022Silent Gesture\\u0022 at the Olympic Games 1968 in Mexico to raise awareness for racial injustice\",\"description\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/2TommieSmith_M.jpg\",\"title\":\"2TommieSmith_M\",\"aspect_ratio\":0.6923076923076923,\"focalPointLeft\":0.5,\"focalPointTop\":0}],\"size\":\"1\",\"aspect\":\"0\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-headline {\"h1\":\"Check out more\",\"width\":\"Wide\"} \/--><!-- wp:puma\/row-article-multi {\"migrateBlock\":true,\"numArticles\":2,\"title\":\"Check out more\",\"icon\":\"icon-puma\",\"manualArticles\":[{\"id\":1954},{\"id\":1036}],\"mode\":\"manual\",\"aspect\":\"1\"} \/-->","title":"Tommie Smith und seine kraftvolle Aussage","excerpt":"Mit elf Weltrekorden gleichzeitig ist Tommie Smith zweifellos einer der gr\u00f6\u00dften Sprinter aller Zeiten. Seine bemerkenswerten Leistungen auf der Bahn wurden jedoch durch den Wirbel um seine \"stumme Geste\" im Kampf f\u00fcr die Menschenrechte bei den Olympischen Spielen 1968 in Mexiko \u00fcberschattet. Der schwarze Aktivist, der gerade in Weltrekordzeit \u00fcber 200 Meter f\u00fcr die Vereinigten Staaten zu Gold gesprintet war, fand sich danach arbeitslos und von vielen in seinem eigenen Land gehasst wieder.\nCATch Up traf den 70-J\u00e4hrigen in der PUMA-Zentrale in Herzogenaurach zum Interview, als er seinem alten Sponsor einen Besuch abstattete.","status":"publish","password":"","name":"Tommie Smith und seine kraftvolle Aussage","modified":"2025-09-19 15:08:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19 15:08:09","content_filtered":"","parent":0,"type":"post","mime_type":"","template":"","category":[18],"datetime_local":"8. September 2014 um 14:02","date_local":"8. September 2014","time_local":"14:02","slug":"tommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement","url":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/sports\/tommie-smith-and-his-powerful-statement\/","featured_image":{"width":1140,"height":640,"file":"2014\/09\/TommieSmith_H.jpg","filesize":132988,"sizes":{"medium":{"file":"TommieSmith_H-300x168.jpg","width":300,"height":168,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":12051},"large":{"file":"TommieSmith_H-1024x575.jpg","width":1024,"height":575,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":104059},"thumbnail":{"file":"TommieSmith_H-150x150.jpg","width":150,"height":150,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":6104},"medium_large":{"file":"TommieSmith_H-768x431.jpg","width":768,"height":431,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":60203},"trp-custom-language-flag":{"file":"TommieSmith_H-18x10.jpg","width":18,"height":10,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":466}},"image_meta":{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0","keywords":[]},"id":4137,"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","url":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/TommieSmith_H.jpg","title":"tommiesmith_h","aspect_ratio":1.78125,"focalPointLeft":0.5,"focalPointTop":0},"headline":"Tommie Smith and his powerful statement","categories":[{"term_id":18,"name":"Sport","slug":"sports","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":18,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":873,"filter":"raw","url":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/category\/sports\/"}],"theCategory":{"term_id":18,"name":"Sport","slug":"sports","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":18,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":873,"filter":"raw","url":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/category\/sports\/"},"isFeaturedArticle":true,"isTopArticle":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2903","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2903"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2903\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.puma-catchup.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}