Olympian and World Champion Barbara Ann Scott dead at 84

Barbara Ann Scott, the only Canadian to win Olympic gold in women’s figure skating, has died at age 84 in her home in Amelia Island, Florida. According to a statement from Skate Canada, her husband Tom King was at her side. The cause of death has not yet been released.

“Barbara Ann set the standard for generations of female athletes and women skaters who came after her,” said Skate Canada president Benoit Lavoie. “The discipline and focus that she learned early in her career were the foundation of her success, as Canadian, North American, European, World and Olympic Champion.”

Watch Barbara Ann Scott in the 1948 Winter Olympics:

The coveted Barbara Ann Scott Doll was made in her honour following her triumph at the 1948 St. Moritz games, and it remains a prized possession of fans and collectors alike. Praised for her beauty and grace on and off the ice, she was a role model for young Canadians in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Her involvement in the world of figure skating continued throughout her life, and she served as honorary chair of the 2006 world championships in Calgary.

“She remained so connected to the sport, and to Canada after her own career was over,” Lavoie said. “Every time she attended our events, she inspired our skaters and encouraged them to pursue their dreams.

“We extend our sincere sympathy to her husband Tom, her family, and her friends. She will be sadly missed by the international skating community and by her many fans worldwide.”

Scott started skating at age 7, and her list of honours and accomplishments is long indeed. She won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s top athlete in 1945, 1947 and 1948. She was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1955 and the Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1991. The same year, she became an officer of the Order of Canada. Scott was also inducted into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1997 and named to Canada’s Walk of Fame in 1998.

Scott carried the Olympic flame in Ottawa on its journey to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Games:

In August 2012 Scott opened an art gallery in her honour at Ottawa City Hall:

ON THE WEB

Read more on Barbara Ann Scott’s life and career.