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SALT LAKE CITY (KTTV) - Elizabeth Smart continues to take back her power. Over the weekend, she competed in her fourth bodybuilding show, saying the sport helps allow her to live life to the absolute fullest.
What we know:
Smart was one of hundreds of amateur athletes who took the stage at the Wasatch Warrior competition in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 18. She competed in the Fit Model division, a category added last year as an entry-level option for female bodybuilders.
Standing tall and proud to show the physique she has worked for, Smart found success in multiple categories on Saturday. She took home first place in the novice category, third in the Masters 35+ category, and second in Class D.
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What they're saying:
In a caption accompanying one of her stage photos on Instagram, Smart admitted that her participation might come as a surprise to her followers.
"When I posted the pictures in my story of me standing on stage in a bikini it probably shocked many of you, and I understand the shock because had you asked me if I would ever compete in a bodybuilding show a couple of years ago I would have said, 'absolutely not! Never in 100 years!'" she explained.
Smart revealed that she was previously afraid to post stage photos because she worried she "would be judged, not taken seriously, somehow perceived as less than or now unworthy to continue work as an advocate for all survivors." She added that these are feelings many survivors grapple with.
"I am so proud of my body, and I want to celebrate it," Smart wrote. "My body has carried me through every worst day, every hellish grueling experience, it’s created and nurtured three beautiful children, my body has risen to every single challenge life has presented it with and carried me through so I refuse to be ashamed of it."
She concluded by saying, "I refuse to feel embarrassed about trying something new and am embracing my chance at life to the absolute fullest I can. I only hope that we all find the courage to chase new experiences, goals, bettering ourselves, and most importantly happiness."
The backstory:
In June 2002, Smart was abducted from her family’s Salt Lake City home when she was 14 years old. Investigators discovered she was kidnapped from her bedroom at knifepoint by Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. Smart was held captive for nine months, during which she was raped daily by Mitchell while being held at campsites in the Utah foothills and later in California.
Police finally located Smart in March 2003 in Sandy, Utah, after witnesses recognized Mitchell and Barzee from media reports. Mitchell was convicted and is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Barzee pleaded guilty to her role in the kidnapping and was released from prison in 2018. However, she was arrested again in May 2025 for violating the terms of her sex offender status after visiting public parks.
The events of the abduction were recently chronicled in the 2026 Netflix documentary "Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart."
Dig deeper:
This weekend marked a return to the same event where Smart made her bodybuilding debut last year. In addition to the Wasatch Warrior, she has competed at the NPC Heart of Texas and moved on to the national stage at the NPC Masters USA in Las Vegas in pursuit of an IFBB Pro card.
She is qualified to return to the national stage.
Are you or someone you know a recent survivor of sexual assault? Help is available. Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) provides a 24/7 national sexual assault hotline, which can be reached at 1-800-656-4673
The Source: This report is based on Elizabeth Smart’s verified social media statements and official competition results from the Wasatch Warrior event held on April 18, 2026. Historical details regarding her 2002 abduction and the status of her captors are based on court records and reporting from the Associated Press, Deseret News and Biography.com.