| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Barbie Smith |
| Occupation | Figure skater |
| Sport | |
| Country | United States of America |
| Sport | Figure skater |
| Team | U.S |
Barbie Smith is an American former competitive figure skater. She won the silver medal in ladies' singles at the 1977 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and finished fourth at the World Figure Skating Championships that year.
Life
Smith was born in Toronto, Canada, and she began skating at age 6. She did not attended regular school as a teenager due to the demands of skating. She preferred competing in compulsory figures rather than the free skating, as she felt figures were more objectively scored.
Smith was the US Novice champion in 1973 and the national Junior champion in 1974. She missed the chance to qualify for the 1976 Winter Olympics due to a stress fracture in her leg, which almost ended her career.
In February 1977 she competed in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Hartford, Connecticut, where she placed first in both the compulsory figures and short program. In the free skate, she landed a triple Salchow jump and ended in second after the favorite, Linda Fratianne, landed two triple jumps in her program.
She finished fourth at the World Figure Skating Championships that year. Afterward, worried about her ability to support herself in the future and to function outside the world of skating, she retired and enrolled in university. While she was in university, she coached, and she later joined Ice Capades.
Results
| Event | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Championships | 4th | ||
| U.S. Championships | 4th | WD | 2nd |
References
- "Miss Fratianne Takes World Figure Skating Championship". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
- "Show goes on despite fall". The Lexington Herald. 2 January 1982. p. 1. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ^ "Non-Stop Skating Doesn't Melt Ice Rink Star's Zest for Work". The Daily Oklahoman. 20 September 1984. p. 16. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ^ "Skater Left The Ice To Face Cold World". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 29 March 1984. p. 56. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ^ "Skater Strives For 'Step Beyond'". The Indianapolis News. 5 March 1983. p. 5. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- "Barbie Smith Widens Figure Skating Lead". The Bridgeport Telegram. 5 February 1977. p. 8. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- Bruce, Jeannette. "Great, big wonderful whirl". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
- "The Ice Capades: A New Show To Melt Your Heart". The Pittsburgh Press. 23 September 1981. p. 46. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
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