Have A Go Olympic Challenge 2024

HAVE A GO AT OLYMPIC SPORTS

FIND YOUR SPORT
Background image

CrossFit Games conquered, now ready for Rio

 

CrossFit Games conquered, now ready for Rio

Author image
AOC
CrossFit Games conquered, now ready for Rio
Tia-Clair Toomey has finished second at the World Cross-Fit Games ahead of the Rio Olympics.

WEIGHTLIFTING: For some athletes making the Olympics is the ultimate dream and for some an Olympic medal is within reach. For Gladstone’s Tia-Clair Toomey she’s only content when striving to be the best in everything she tries.

The 23-year-old, who will make her Olympic debut in weightlifting in just two weeks, was last week crowned the “second fittest woman in the world” at the World CrossFit Games for the second year running.

“The feeling was surreal, it was such an honour to hold the Aussie flag and stand up there while the Aussies celebrated in the crowd,” Toomey said about standing on the podium at just her second CrossFit Games.

With an array of physical challenges testing Toomey’s muscles and her mental strength, she said it was a tiring week.

“The hardest part was day three of competition because you had two more days to go and you’re mentally are getting more tired as the weekend goes by. The highlight was competing in the tennis stadium and seeing and hearing my friends and family cheer for me."

The Queenslander rookie shot to prominence in weightlifting at the 2015 Australian Open, shattering her previous personal best, after only taking up the sport less than two years ago. 

She cemented her spot on the 2016 Team at the Oceania Championships in Fiji, lifting a higher percentage of the Rio qualifier in her division category than the other Australian female competitors, beating other Rio hopefuls Erika Ropati-Frost, Kiana Elliott and Pip Malone for the lone spot.

She has managed to balance both weightlifting and CrossFit by using training for one as a break from the other.

Competing in the 58kg division at the Riocentro in Barra, the Olympics is next on the agenda.

“I feel great, I'm so excited for Rio. If anything it (CrossFit Games) has pumped me up more to compete in Rio.

“I'm so excited, it's going to be so amazing and probably very emotional when I get on the platform as the Olympics is such an amazing opportunity.”

Toomey will train in Miami, US for the next five days before flying to Rio to prepare for her competition on August 8 (day three).

Annie Kearney
olympics.com.au

MORE ON SUMMER
Top Stories