Barbara Ann Scott facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barbara Ann Scott
Barbara-Ann Scott - March 1946
Personal information
Country represented	Canada
Born	(1928-05-09)May 9, 1928 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Died	September 30, 2012(2012-09-30) (aged 84) Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Nassau County, Florida, U.S.
Height	5 ft 2 in (157 cm)
Former coach	Otto Gold Sheldon Galbraith
Retired	1948
Medal record Women's figure skating Representing  Canada Olympic Games Gold 1948 St. Moritz Singles World Championships Gold 1948 Davos Singles Gold 1947 Stockholm Singles European Championships Gold 1948 Prague Singles Gold 1947 Davos Singles North American Championships Gold 1947 Ottawa Singles Gold 1945 New York Singles

Barbara Ann Scott (May 9, 1928 – September 30, 2012) was a very famous Canadian figure skater. She won the gold medal at the 1948 Winter Olympics in ladies' singles. She was also a two-time World champion in 1947 and 1948.

People called her "Canada's Sweetheart." She is the only Canadian woman to have won the Olympic gold medal in ladies' singles figure skating. She was also the first person from North America to win three big titles in one year. Barbara Ann Scott was also the only Canadian to win the European Championship (in 1947 and 1948). Later in her life, she became a top horse rider in North America. She received many special awards, including being made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1991.

Life and Skating Career

Barbara Ann Scott was born on May 9, 1928, in Ottawa, Canada. She was the youngest of three children. She started skating when she was seven years old. Her coaches were Otto Gold and Sheldon Galbraith.

When she was nine, Barbara Ann stopped going to a regular school. Instead, she had a tutor for two and a half hours a day. This allowed her to train on the ice for seven hours every day! At age ten, she became the youngest skater to pass a very difficult "gold figures test." By the time she was eleven, she won her first national junior title in Canada. At fifteen, she became Canada's senior national champion. She held this title from 1944 to 1946.

Barbara Ann Scott - Dec 1947

In 1947, people in her community helped raise money so Barbara Ann could travel overseas. She became the first North American to win both the European and World Figure Skating championships. She is still the only Canadian to have won the European title. Because of her success, she was voted Canadian Newsmaker of the Year in 1947.

When she returned to Ottawa, there was a parade for her. She was given a yellow Buick convertible car. However, she had to give the car back. This was because she needed to keep her "amateur status" to be allowed to compete in the 1948 Winter Olympics. Being an amateur meant she couldn't accept gifts or money for her sport.

In 1948, Barbara Ann Scott had an amazing year. She won the World Figure Skating and European Skating Championships again. She also won the Canadian Figure Skating Championship once more. This made her the first North American to win all three in the same year. She was also the first to win world titles two years in a row. She was even on the cover of Time magazine on February 2, 1948. This was just one week before her Olympic debut in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Barbara Ann Scott and Hans Gerschwiler practice together before the 1948 Winter Olympics. Both went on to win medals - Scott gold and Gerschweiler silver.

At the 1948 Winter Olympics, Barbara Ann Scott made history. She became the first and only Canadian woman to win the gold medal in ladies' singles figure skating. After her Olympic win, she received a telegram from the Prime Minister of Canada, William Lyon Mackenzie King. He said she gave "Canadians courage to get through the darkness of the post-war gloom."

When Barbara Ann returned to Ottawa on March 9, 1948, the car she had given back in 1947 was returned to her. She also received the "Key" to the city. The newspapers often called her "Canada's Sweetheart." A special doll was even made in her honor in 1948.

Barbara Ann Scott decided to stop being an amateur skater in the summer of 1948. She then started touring North America and Europe. She was the main star in many ice shows for the next five years. She even took over the starring role from her childhood hero, Sonja Henie, in the "Hollywood Ice Revue" in Chicago. This was featured in a Life magazine story in 1952. Being a professional skater was very demanding. At the age of twenty-five, she retired from professional skating.

Opening Ceremony of the XXI Olympic Winter Games - Left to right carrying the flag, Betty Fox, Jacques Villeneuve, Anne Murray, Bobby Orr, Donald Sutherland, Barbara Ann Scott-King, Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire, Julie Payette.

In 1955, when she was 27, she married Tom King. He was a publicist and a former professional basketball player. They settled in Chicago. For a short time, she opened a beauty salon. Later, she became a skilled horse trainer and rider. During this time, Scott also started and became the leader of the International Academy of Merchandising and Design in Toronto. In 1996, she and her husband retired to Amelia Island, Florida.

Barbara Ann Scott remained an important person in the skating world throughout her life. She appeared in movies and on TV. She also wrote books and worked as a skating judge. She was recognized for her work in education and charity. For example, she donated some of her earnings to help children with disabilities.

As a Canadian sports hero, she was asked to carry the Olympic torch before the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. This was to celebrate 40 years since her Olympic win. In December 2009, she carried the Olympic torch again. This time, she carried it to Parliament Hill and into the House of Commons for the 2010 Winter Olympics. She was also one of the people who carried the Olympic flag during the opening ceremonies in Vancouver on February 12, 2010. In 2012, the city of Ottawa created the Barbara Ann Scott Gallery. This gallery shows photos, her championship awards, and the Olympic gold medal she gave to the city in 2011.

Barbara Ann Scott died on September 30, 2012, at her home in Fernandina Beach, Florida. She was 84 years old. A local arena in Nepean, Ontario, was named after her.

Awards and Honours

Barbara Ann Scott's star on Canada's Walk of Fame

Barbara Ann Scott received many important awards for her achievements in sports and her charity work. She was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1991. This is one of Canada's highest honors. In 2008, she became a member of the Order of Ontario.

She was also inducted into many Halls of Fame:

• Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame (1948)
• Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (1955)
• Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame (1966)
• Skate Canada Hall of Fame (1991)
• International Women's Sports Hall of Fame (1997)
• Ontario Sports Hall of Fame (1997)
• Canada's Walk of Fame (1998)

Her first big award was the Lou Marsh Trophy in 1945. This award is given to Canada's top athlete of the year. She won it again in 1947 and 1948.

Here is a table showing her major competition results:

Film and TV Appearances

Barbara Ann Scott also appeared in several films and TV shows, often playing herself.

See also

In Spanish: Barbara Ann Scott para niños

• Canada at the 1948 Winter Olympics
• Petra Burka
• Karen Magnussen
• Elizabeth Manley
• Kaetlyn Osmond
• Joannie Rochette