Michelle Smith Popular Books

Michelle Smith Biography & Facts

Michelle Smith de Bruin (born 16 December 1969 in Rathcoole) is an Irish lawyer and retired Olympic swimmer. She won three gold medals at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, for the 400 m individual medley, 400 m freestyle and 200 m individual medley, and also won the bronze medal for the 200 m butterfly event. Smith's rise to dominance in the 1995 European Championships, followed by her wins in Atlanta at a relatively advanced age for swimmers were marked by allegations of doping, which were never proven. Smith was, however, later banned for four years by FINA, the international swimming federation, for manipulation of an anti-doping sample, by deliberate contamination with alcohol, a decision upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport when Smith appealed. Already superannuated in swimming terms, Smith never returned to competitive swimming and later worked as a barrister, practising under her married name of Michelle de Bruin. Despite the ban for manipulating samples, none of Smith's swimming achievements have been annulled, and she remains Ireland's most successful Olympian. Swimming career Michelle Smith's father taught his daughters how to swim, and Smith was first spotted by a lifeguard in Tallaght swimming pool at age nine. He suggested that Smith's father enroll his daughter in a swimming club. Smith joined Terenure Swimming Club and trained under the tutelage of Larry Williamson. Smith won the Dublin and All-Ireland Community Games at aged 9. She won ten gold medals at a novice competition. She enrolled in the King's Hospital Swimming Club in 1980. At aged 14, Smith won ten medals at the Irish National Swimming Championships. At 14, she became National Junior and Senior Champion and dominated Irish women's swimming until her retirement in 1998. Smith first appeared on the world scene as an 18-year-old at the Seoul Olympics and narrowly missed the B-final in the 200 m backstroke (top 16). Smith's second major championship was at the 1991 World Championships in Perth, Australia, where she finished 13th in the 400 m individual medley. She competed at the 1991 European Championships and qualified for the 1992 Olympic Games. She competed in the 200 m medley and backstroke and 400 m medley in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, despite suffering an injury in the months leading up to the Games. She finished fifth in the 200 m butterfly at the 1994 World Championships. In that same year, she suffered from glandular fever, which affected her training prior to the World Championships. In 1995, Smith set Irish records in 50 m, 100 m, 400 m and 800 m freestyle, 100 m backstroke, 100 m and 200 m butterfly, and 200 m and 400 m medley events. She was ranked number 1 in 200 m butterfly, sixth in 100 m butterfly and seventh in 200 m medley; she made sporting history by becoming the first Irishwoman to win a European title in 200 m butterfly and the individual 400 m medley in the same year. 1996 Olympics Smith won three gold medals and a bronze medal in Atlanta. There was controversy at the Games due to Smith qualifying for the 400m freestyle event at the expense of the then-world record holder Janet Evans, who had finished ninth in the preliminary swims with only the top eight advancing. Smith did not submit her qualifying time for the 400m freestyle event before the 5 July deadline but did so two days later with the Irish Olympic officials insisting they had been given permission to submit the qualifying time after the deadline. Smith applied for the event after she had arrived in Atlanta. After Smith qualified at the expense of Evans, the US Swimming Federation, supported by the German and Netherlands swimming teams, challenged a decision to allow Smith to compete but were unsuccessful. At a later conference, Evans highlighted that accusations of Smith doping had been heard by her poolside. Smith later received an apology from Evans. Sample tampering ban Two years after the 1996 Summer Olympics, FINA banned Smith for four years for tampering with her urine sample using alcohol. She appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Her case was heard by a panel of three sport lawyers, including Michael Beloff QC. Unusually for a CAS hearing, Smith's case was heard in public, at her own lawyer's request. FINA submitted evidence from Jordi Segura, head of the IOC-accredited laboratory in Barcelona, that said she took androstenedione, a metabolic precursor of testosterone, in the previous 10-to-12 hours before being tested. Smith denied this and androstenedione was not a banned substance. The International Olympic Committee banned androstenedione and placed it under the category of androgenic-anabolic steroids in 1997.The CAS upheld the ban. She was 28 at the time, and the ban effectively ended her competitive swimming career. Smith was not stripped of her Olympic medals, as she had never tested positive for any banned substances. Her coach and husband, Erik De Bruin, previously served a four-year ban for using illegal drugs during his career as a discus thrower. Smith has always denied using illegal performance-enhancing drugs. Legal career During Smith's experience at CAS, she developed an interest in the law. After officially announcing her retirement from swimming in 1999, she returned to university, graduating from University College Dublin with a degree in law. In July 2005 she was conferred with the degree of Barrister at Law of King's Inns, Dublin. While a student at the King's Inns she won the internal Brian Walsh Moot Court competition. Her book, Transnational Litigation: Jurisdiction and Procedure was published in 2008 by Thomson Round Hall.Smith is an expert in private international law, the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments, EU law and the law applicable to disputes following Brexit. Other activities In 2007, Smith appeared on Celebrities Go Wild, an RTÉ reality television show in which eight celebrities had to fend for themselves in the wilds of rural Connemara.In 1996, she released her autobiography, Gold, co-written with Cathal Dervan. Personal life In 1993 Smith began training with Dutch discus thrower Erik de Bruin, whom she had met in Barcelona. They married in 1996. Smith lives in Kells, County Kilkenny with de Bruin and their two children. Legacy Smith remains Ireland's most successful Olympian, male or female. She holds Irish records for the 200m and 400m freestyle, 200m butterfly, and 400m individual medley (long course). She also holds the Irish record in the 400m individual medley (short course).Katie Taylor's gold medal in boxing in 2012 was Ireland's first gold since Smith's three in 1996. See also List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offencesReferences External links Irish Law Library profile Transnational Litigation: Jurisdiction and Procedure (Smith deBruin's book). Discover the Michelle Smith popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Michelle Smith books.

Best Seller Michelle Smith Books of 2024

  • Those Guys Have All the Fun synopsis, comments

    Those Guys Have All the Fun

    Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller

    In the exclusive behind the scenes look, sports fans can unlock the fascinating history of the channel that changed the way people watch and interact with their favorite teams. It...

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    Bold Words from Black Women

    Tamara Pizzoli

    Celebrate the power of Black womanhood in this firstofitskind collection of inspirational quotes from fifty activists, artists, and leaders, featuring bold, attentiongrabbing illus...

  • Coco le chien synopsis, comments

    Coco le chien

    Michelle Smith

    Lisez l'aventure mignon du beau chien, Coco! En français et anglais. [Read the cute adventure of the handsome dog, Coco!]

  • Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller synopsis, comments

    Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller

    Meredith Ireland

    Today Tonight Tomorrow meets A Pho Love Story in this whipsmart young adult novel about a girl who embarks on a “breezy road trip romp” (Publishers Weekly) with her longtime rival ...

  • Des femmes inspirantes synopsis, comments

    Des femmes inspirantes

    Christophe Faure & Aurélie Godefroy

    Il y a des femmes inspirantes, qui nous élèvent, quelles que soient les générations, les traditions, ou leurs domaines d'action. Elles révèlent une autre manière d'être au monde, d...

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    Mister Circle Finds Colors

    Michelle Smith

    Go on a walk with Mr. Circle as he discovers vibrant colors in nature. This unique and "quiet" picture book is a beautiful reminder to rest your mind and enjoy the simple things in...

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    The Zen of Naka

    Martin Greig

    Since his move to Celtic in the summer of 2005, Shunsuke Nakamura has become a cult hero in both Scotland and the Far East. From the wonderful goal in his Champions League debut ag...

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    Coco the Dog

    Michelle Smith

    Read the cute adventure of the handsome dog, Coco in both English and French. Page Count = 6.

  • The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook, Expanded Edition synopsis, comments

    The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook, Expanded Edition

    Emily Ansara Baines

    Celebrate the beloved upstairs/downstairs world of Downton Abbey by dining like they do with this brilliant collection of inspired recipes and photographs for celebratory teas, the...

  • Incomparable World synopsis, comments

    Incomparable World

    S. I. Martin

    A visceral reimagining of 1780s London, showcasing the untold stories of AfricanAmerican soldiers grappling with their postwar freedom 'Remarkable' David DabydeenIn the years just ...

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    Fat Cat Finds a Home

    Michelle Smith

    After ten years of love from her previous owner, poor Fat Cat finds herself alone and looking for a new home. Will she ever leave the adoption shelter? Even at ten years old, Fat C...

  • Blue Blood synopsis, comments

    Blue Blood

    Andrea Vance

    'A political bombshell book' Sunday Star TimesBeginning with the shock resignation of John Key, Blue Blood reveals the reasons behind one of the most dramatic falls in popularity ...

  • Start and Run a Successful Beauty Salon synopsis, comments

    Start and Run a Successful Beauty Salon

    Bijan Yousef-Zadeh & Sally Medcalf

    This book is a stepbystep guide to starting and running a successful beauty salon. It is aimed at the budding entrepreneur; a qualified beautician working for someone else who now ...

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    Fat Cat Wants Outside

    Michelle Smith

    Tenyearold Fat Cat wants to go outside, but no one seems to understand her. Will she be ignored all day? Will she miss napping on her favorite porch chair? Find out how Fat Cat man...

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    Fat Cat Wants a Bath

    Michelle Smith

    In her first adventure, Fat Cat Finds a Home, tenyearold Fat Cat had some scary moments! Now she is happily adjusting to life with her favorite girls: Poppy, Mimi, and Wee. But rec...

  • Worth It synopsis, comments

    Worth It

    Amanda Steinberg

    From the founder and superstar CEO of DailyWorth.com, the goto financial site for women with more than one million subscribers, comes a fresh book that shows women how to view mone...

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    Fat Cat Wants to Eat

    Michelle Smith

    Fat Cat is a furry old kitty who wants to eat all day long, but her family insists on sticking to a schedule. Fat Cat may not be able to tell time, but she sure knows when her bell...

  • Michelle L. Smith v. State Alaska synopsis, comments

    Michelle L. Smith v. State Alaska

    Court Of Appeals Of Alaska

    Michelle L. Smith was initially charged with driving while her license was suspended (DWLS). She eventually entered a no contest plea to the lesser offense of driving without a val...

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    Sleepy Time Shape Stories

    Michelle Smith & Poppy Smith

    Join these shape characters as they explore their surroundings in a simplistic and delightful way, teaching shapes, colors, counting, and basic vocabulary. Take a walk with Mr. Cir...