Jessica Smith (born October 14, 1983) is an American long track speed skater and short track speed skater and former World Champion inline speed skater. As a young girl, Smith was involved in a variety of activities including ballet, modeling, roller skating, and ice hockey. She eventually settled on roller skating and made the United States' Junior World Inline Championships Team at age 12. She won 15 gold medals at the junior level before moving up the senior level at age 16. By 2007, Smith had collected 16 senior World Championships gold medals. After 2007, Smith switched to short track speed skating on the ice in hopes of making the Olympics. She made the US World Cup team each year from 2008–10. She made the 2009 World Championships, but narrowly missed the 2010 Olympics. After the disappointment, Smith rededicated herself to the sport and made the 2011 and 2012 World Cup and World Championships teams. She won a bronze at the 2011 World Team Championships and a silver at the 2012 World Championships. When national coach Jae Su Chun was dismissed from the team in 2012, Smith stayed with him, forgoing support from the national team. Smith made the US World Cup and World Championships Teams in 2013. At the 2014 Olympic Trials, she won all three events. As of 2014, Smith holds the US National Record in the 500 meters and has won twelve World Cup medals. Early life Jessica Smith was born in Dearborn, Michigan to parents Rick and Reina Smith. She began roller skating at age one, competing in her first race at age two. In addition to skating, Smith took ballet and tap dancing lessons, and modeled. Staying scrape and injury free while skating proved to be too much of a burden, so she dropped ballet, dance, and modeling. She began to play ice hockey while continuing to roller skate. After inline skating and playing hockey competitively for several years, she decided to concentrate on inline to see how far she could take it, citing a preference for individual sports over team sports. Smith grew up in Melvindale, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. She graduated from Cabrini High School in Allen Park, Michigan. Skating career Smith was coached by her father until age nine when family friend, Rob Dunn, took over. She would remain with Dunn until she gave up inline in 2007. At age twelve,