BUILDING BLOCKS

Kidnapping Survivor Shows Off Powerful Bodybuilding Transformation

Nearly 25 years after her highly publicized kidnapping, the victim-turned-advocate is now a competitive bodybuilder.

Elizabeth Smart showed off her confidence, charisma, and jaw-dropping physical transformation on a competition stage 24 years after being kidnapped from her bedroom.

In an Instagram post shared on September 5, Smart said she was proud of the progress she had made since her previous competitions.

“Another show for the books! Had such a blast,” she captioned the video, in which she poses in a blue bikini and clear heels. “I’ve always said ‘just stepping on stage is a win for me!’ And I completely stand by that.”

The 38-year-old child safety activist first revealed she had started competing in bodybuilding contests in April.

On June 5, 2002, Smart was abducted at knifepoint from her Salt Lake City bedroom by Brian David Mitchell. The then 14-year-old was held captive by Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, for nine months before being rescued and reunited with her family on March 12, 2003.

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In September, Smart competed at the North American Championships in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She entered two classes: Masters 35+, open to competitors 35 and older, and Open Class D, a height-based category.

In her caption, Smart wrote that she ranked last in both categories.

“Regardless of where I placed, I loved the whole experience,” Smart wrote. “Had an amazing coach (@slcrobynmaher), got to step onstage with my best friend (@mpholsombake), and had the best support squad in the audience I could ask for.”

Smart was also happy about the progress she had made since earlier competitions.

“I brought a better physique and stage presence than at my previous shows, and I’m so proud of myself for the hard work, discipline, and bravery it takes me to compete,” she wrote. “So here’s to pursuing goals and not giving up!”

Smart first publicly revealed her bodybuilding pursuit in April via an Instagram post.

During the Wasatch Warrior competition in Salt Lake City, Utah, she won the Fit Model Novice category.

She also placed third in the Masters category for competitors over 35 and secured second place in Class D.

At the time, Smart wrote that she had already competed four times, but had been reluctant to tell her followers about her new passion because she worried she would be judged or taken less seriously as a survivor advocate.

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“This past weekend it struck me how eerily familiar these feelings and thoughts are for too many survivors,” she wrote. “I think it’s easy to be labeled as one thing, and honestly, that’s not me, nor do I think it’s any of us. We are more than just one topic, one idea, one label.”

Smart has spent years advocating for survivors through the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, which she founded in 2011. The organization’s programs include self-defense classes, financial assistance for survivors, and awareness education.

She also detailed her experiences in her 2013 memoir, My Story, and in her 2018 follow-up, Where There’s Hope.

In August, Smart launched The Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart, a weekly podcast featuring survivors telling their own stories.

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