Elizabeth Smart, the child safety advocate and kidnapping survivor who took up bodybuilding earlier this year, is reflecting on resilience rather than results after placing last in two divisions at a national competition in Pittsburgh.
Smart, 38, competed in the National Physique Committee’s North American Championships, held in Pittsburgh from Wednesday, Sept. 2, through Saturday, Sept. 5. She shared her experience in an emotional Instagram post Saturday, accompanied by video of herself posing onstage in a blue bikini and high heels.
“Another show for the books! Had such a blast,” Smart wrote. “I’ve always said ‘just stepping onstage is a win for me!’ And I completely stand by that.”
Smart competed in two divisions at the championship: the “Masters 35+” category for bodybuilders 35 and older, and the height-based “Open Class D” category. She said she placed at the bottom of both classes.
Despite the result, Smart emphasized the personal significance of the experience over the competitive outcome.
“Regardless of where I placed, I loved the whole experience, had an amazing coach Robyn Maher, got to step onstage with my best friend Mackenzie Paralee Holsombake and had the best support squad in the audience I could ask for,” Smart wrote. “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. So, here’s to pursuing goals and not giving up!”
The result comes roughly five months after Smart claimed first place in the Fit Model Novice category at the Wasatch Warrior competition in Salt Lake City, Utah, in April, which marked her fourth bodybuilding competition overall.
“This was a big change for me,” Smart wrote following that earlier win. “It was hard. It pushed me, challenged me not to give up. I am so proud of myself for doing this.”
Smart has spent decades as one of the country’s most prominent voices on child safety and survivor advocacy since her own experience as a kidnapping victim more than two decades ago. At age 14, Smart was abducted from her family’s Salt Lake City home in June 2002. She was held in captivity for approximately nine months, during which she was subjected to sexual abuse by Brian David Mitchell, a man her family had previously hired for odd jobs, before she was ultimately rescued. Mitchell and his then-wife and accomplice, Wanda Barzee, were both apprehended by law enforcement shortly after Smart’s rescue.
Smart discussed her decision to pursue bodybuilding during a May interview on “CBS Mornings,” explaining that the shift followed a period of marathon training that had begun causing knee problems. She said a former trainer reached out and asked whether she would be interested in working out together again, an invitation that ultimately led her toward competitive bodybuilding.
Speaking with “CBS Mornings” host Gayle King, Smart described the intense vulnerability she felt stepping into the sport, particularly given her personal history around visibility and comfort with her own body.
“It was terrifying,” Smart said. “I don’t think I wore a bikini until I was on my honeymoon, so stepping up onstage in a bikini felt like the most vulnerable thing I could possibly do.”
Smart has described her involvement in bodybuilding as carrying deeper personal meaning tied to her ongoing healing process as a survivor of sexual abuse, drawing a connection between the sport and the broader work she has done supporting other survivors through her advocacy.
“In my line of work, I’ve met so many victims of sexual abuse and violence who feel like their body betrayed them, and we see a lot of self-harm, eating disorders, feelings of self-loathing,” Smart said. “And for me doing this, I feel like it has been a celebration of my body, because it has carried me through every worst day, every bad experience.”
Since her rescue in 2003, Smart has built a decadeslong career as a public advocate focused on child safety, abduction prevention and survivor support, founding the Elizabeth Smart Foundation and frequently speaking publicly about her own experience in an effort to help other survivors and raise awareness around abuse prevention. She has also appeared in various media projects addressing missing persons cases, including the docuseries “America’s Most Wanted: Missing Persons.”
Smart’s latest bodybuilding result, despite placing last in both divisions she entered, drew a similarly reflective response from the advocate as her earlier competitive win, with Smart framing the experience through the lens of personal growth and continued participation rather than competitive placement alone. Her public discussion of the sport has continued to draw attention given the way she has tied her physical training directly to her broader work and personal history as a survivor advocate, offering her social media followers an ongoing look at both her competitive results and the personal meaning she continues to find in the sport regardless of outcome.
This report references sexual abuse and self-harm, sensitive subjects that can be distressing for some readers. If you or someone you know is affected by these issues, support is available through resources such as the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
