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Most high school athletes compete on a court or a field, but some find their competition in the gym.
“I love to move my body. I love to challenge my body and even my mind,” said 16-year old Emma Cary.
The Marshfield native finds her challenge through crossfit.
But she’s no ordinary every day gym goer.
“I knew she was going to be special, but it’s still crazy to see her up there on the top of the leaderboard,” said Emma’s original coach Danny Poe.
Poe owns Perform Overcome Excel CrossFit in Marshfield where Emma still trains.
Emma is competing in CrossFit’s Open competition for this year’s Crossfit games.
Emma posted the best time in the entire world for the second workout of the open competition.
That meant she beat more than 100,000 women, including several professionals that she grew up watching.
“It honestly feels like a dream, but it’s something I’ve dreamed about and worked for, for almost seven years. So I have to remind myself that I deserve to be at this level,” Emma said.
The first place finish brought even more passion to Emma’s gym in Marshfield.
Friends and family gathered to cheer her on during the third and fourth open workouts.
“There’s actual family here and then there’s crossfit family,” said Emma’s dad Mike. “There’s people that wouldn’t be in our lives if it weren’t for this sport.”
The support helped Emma finish that third workout with a bang, once again setting the example for those watching.
“I have to remind myself that I could be a role model for somebody who is in my shoes,” Emma said.
That inspiration extends to those who’ve known Emma her entire life, like her dad.
“I came over, did one class and was hooked,” Mike said. “Then Emma followed me and she’s outpaced me for sure.”
After first learning of the sport from her dad, Emma’s CrossFit success is now a family affair, with mom and dad helping any way they can.
“It’s brought us closer as a family, we definitely have a common thread. People talk about the teenage years and truthfully, I’m thankful I’ve got her instead of somebody like me,” Mike said with a smile.
The top 10-percent of Open competitors advance to the quarterfinals next month.
From there, the field gets narrowed to the semifinals and eventually the CrossFit Games.
Emma says her goal is to make the games and win gold.
