Kidnap victim Elizabeth Smart wins first place in bodybuilding competition as she reveals her new passion
A woman who was kidnapped as a teenager has come first in her category in a bodybuilding competition.
Elizabeth Smart, 38, was 14-years-old when an intruder broke into her home in Salt Lake City, Utah in the US on June 5 2002 and kidnapped her at knifepoint.
A documentary on Netflix called Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart revisited Smart's nine-month-long ordeal at the hands of her kidnappers Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee.
Mitchell would go on to be given a life sentence in prison, and Barzee was handed a sentence of 15 years.
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In addition to the documentary, Smart has also started her own YouTube channel, and has gone on to work to protect children from abuse.
But when she's not working in that, Smart has revealed that she has taken on another hobby as well - bodybuilding.
And it seems that she's becoming rather successful at it as well, as she managed to win first place in her category at the competition in Salt Lake City over April 17 and 18.
Writing about her experience, she reflected on how this was a crucial part of her own journey to recovery after her trauma, saying that she did not want to be known for 'one thing'.
She wrote: "It struck me how eerily familiar these feelings and thoughts are for too many survivors.
"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."
Recalling how she felt about taking on bodybuilding, saying that it was 'a big change for me, it was hard, it pushed me, challenged me not to give up. I am so proud of myself for doing this'.
But Smart said that it's been worth it, as she now feels 'proud' of her body and wants to 'celebrate it', and that taking on the bodybuilding challenge.
She wrote: "I am so proud of my body, and I want to celebrate it. 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 added: "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."
Kit Roberts