Nyorai kuenderera mberi kweiyi ndima - Akakundwa pamakwikwi emunyika naGavryushin muna 1988, asi zvakadaro akawana kusarudzwa kweSoviet Union kumaOlympics eZhizha a1988. PaOlympics yeSeoul ya1988 akaiswa pachinzvimbo chechishanu mukukodzera asi akakandira zvishoma mupfupi mumutambo wekupedzisira, zvichikonzera kupedza nzvimbo yechisere pakuonekwa kwake kweOlympic chete. Kukanda kwake kwakanakisisa gore iroro kwakanga kuri muVilnius neMoscow. Haana kukwikwidza munyika yose muna 1989 uye mwaka wake wakanakisisa wakanga uri wakaipisisa kubva muna 1983. Akadzoka muna 1990 uye akaiswa pachinhanho chechitanhatu munyika kuburikidza nemwaka wake wakanakisa uye akarasikirwa nemenduru pa1990 European Athletics Championships, achitora nzvimbo yechina mushure meNorway Georg Andersen (akarambidzwa doping gore rakatevera). Smirnov akakunda mazita ake maviri okupedzisira eSoviet National muna 1990 na1991 pamusangano wenyika. Akanga ari wechipiri munhangemutange yomukati munyika yose mumakore ose ari maviri. Akanga ari wechipfumbamwe pa 1991 IAAF World Indoor Championships uye akawanawo menduru yesirivha pa 1991 European Cup
(ndiro menduru yake yokupedzisira yenyika dzakawanda).