Nickname
Lou-bear (Twitter profile, 05 Apr 2016)
Occupation
Athlete
Spoken languages
English
Club
Huntingdon Gymnastics Club [England]
Coach
Paul Hall [club]; Eddie van Hoof [national] (huntingdon-gymnastics.org, 11 Apr 2016; theguardian.com, 21 Oct 2015)
International senior debut
2006 for Great Britain (Athlete, 12 Oct 2011)
Injuries
In March 2012 he fractured a finger in his right hand on the high bar, resulting in four weeks off. (dailymail.co.uk, 28 Mar 2012)
In 2010 he broke his thumb in the lead-up to the European Team Championships. (louis-smith-official.com, 23 Dec 2011)
Start sporting career
He took up gymnastics at age four in Peterborough, England. (Athlete, 12 Oct 2011; peterboroughtoday.co.uk, 30 July 2012)
Reason for taking up the sport
His older brother started doing gymnastics and he followed him into the sport. His mother also thought it was a good way for him to burn off energy and learn discipline after he discovered at age seven that he had ADHD [attention deficit hyperactivity disorder]. She initially took him to try several different sports, but he liked gymnastics the most. "Gymnastics taught me discipline and respect and overall, I didn't get into too much trouble." (Athlete, 12 Oct 2011; Mirror.co.uk, 08 Aug 2013; idolmag.co.uk, 12 Aug 2012; mirror.co.uk, 08 Aug 2013)
Most memorable sporting achievement
Winning one silver and one bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. (british-gymnastics.org, 07 Jan 2014)
Hero / Idol
US boxer Muhammad Ali. (Athlete, 12 Oct 2011)
Additional information
Awards
He received an honorary doctorate in health sciences from Anglia Ruskin University in 2013 for his contributions to British sport. (louissmith.com, 26 Sept. 2013)
He was named a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire [MBE] in the 2012 New Year's Honours list in recognition of his sporting achievements. (bbc.co.uk, 07 Jan 2014)
He was one of the recipients of the British Olympic Association's [BOA] Olympic Athlete of the Year trophy in 2007. (british-gymnastics.org, 29 Jan 2008)
General
RETIREMENT AND COMEBACK
He retired from the sport after the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He participated in the 2012 BBC series 'Strictly Come Dancing' and also worked as a commentator during his absence. He announced his return to gymnastics in January 2014. "I loved commentating at the world championships in October [2013], however there was a large part of me that felt I should be competing. I know what I'm still capable of when I'm in peak condition. I believe I can very much compete amongst the best in the world and challenge for medals. I can go to the Commonwealth Games knowing that whatever happens, I will have achieved everything I ever dreamt of in gymnastics" (british-gymnastics.org, 07 Jan 2014, bbc.co.uk, 07 Jan 2014)
ENDING THE DROUGHT
He became the first British gymnast since 1908 to win an individual Olympic medal when he won bronze on pommel horse at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. (Athlete, 09 Jan 2012)
MEMOIR
In 2013 he published an illustrated memoir, 'Louis: My Story So Far'. (expressandstar.com, 16 July 2014)
Last update : 2016-09-23