| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Joyce Esther Smith |
| Born | 26 October 1937 Stoke Newington, England |
| Height | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Weight | 52 kg (115 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Running |
| Event(s) | 1500 metres 3000 metres marathon |
Joyce Esther Smith MBE (née Byatt, born 26 October 1937)[1] is a British former long-distance runner. She broke the world record in the 3000 metres in 1971 and is a three-time medallist at the International/World Cross Country Championships, including winning in 1972. She went on to twice win the London Marathon, becoming the first British woman in history to run under 2:30 when winning in 1981 with 2:29:57, before further improving the British record to 2:29:43 when winning in 1982. She also competed in the 1500 metres at the 1972 Munich Olympics and finished 11th in the marathon at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, aged 46.