Donal Ian Brice Smith (4 February 1934 – 27 September 2023) was a New Zealand

middle-distance runner Middle-distance running events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle-distance event. The 1 ...

and English literature academic. He represented his country at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games and 1960 Olympic Games, and was a professor of English at the

University of Auckland , mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work , established = 1883; years ago , endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021) , chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant , vice_chancellor = Dawn F ...

from 1973 until his retirement in 2000.

Early life and family

Smith was born in

Auckland, New Zealand Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

, on 4 February 1934, the son of Bruce and Judy (''née'' Jaffray) Smith. He was educated at

Auckland Grammar School Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

and at

, taking a BA in 1954 and an MA the following year. After a brief period lecturing at Auckland, he was the inaugural recipient of the Eliot Davis Memorial Scholarship in 1956, which provided for three years of study at either

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a College town, university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cam ...

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. Later that year, he matriculated at Merton College, Oxford, spending the next four years studying for his

DPhil A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

. His doctoral thesis was titled ''An edition of The rehearsal transpros'd by Andrew Marvell, with introduction and commentary''. In 1959, Smith married Marjory Jill Evans, with whom he later had three children.

Athletic career

In 1958, Smith finished fifth in the final of the

880 yards The 800 metres, or meters ( US spelling), is a common track running event. It is the shortest commonly run middle-distance running event. The 800 metres is run over two laps of an outdoor (400-metre) track and has been an Olympic event since th ...

at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff. At the

1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics ( it, Giochi Olimpici estivi del 1960), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad ( it, Giochi della XVII Olimpiade) and commonly known as Rome 1960 ( it, Roma 1960), were an international multi-sport event held ...

, he was eliminated in the quarter-final of the

800 metres The 800 metres, or meters ( US spelling), is a common track running event. It is the shortest commonly run middle-distance running event. The 800 metres is run over two laps of an outdoor (400-metre) track and has been an Olympic event since t ...

Academic career

After a period at the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 ...

, Smith was appointed a professor of English at the

in 1973. When he retired in 2000, he was accorded the title of

professor emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

Death

Smith died on 27 September 2023, at the age of 89.

References

External links

Profile
at ''trackfield.brinkster.net'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Donal 1934 births 2023 deaths People educated at Auckland Grammar School University of Auckland alumni Alumni of Merton College, Oxford New Zealand male middle-distance runners Olympic athletes for New Zealand Athletes (track and field) at the 1960 Summer Olympics Commonwealth Games competitors for New Zealand Athletes (track and field) at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Academic staff of the University of Toronto Academic staff of the University of Auckland Scholars of English literature