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CrossFit Abbotsford athletes impress at Fraser Valley Throwdown

Ten local athletes compete at big crossfit event at Abbotsford Centre in November
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CrossFit Abbotsford athletes performed well at the recent Fraser Valley Throwdown event. (Scott Holden photo)

CrossFit Abbotsford athletes impressed at the recent Fraser Valley Throwdown.

The event, which ran on Nov. 22 and 23 at the Abbotsford Centre, sees hundreds of athletes from all across Western Canada and the United States battle it out.

RELATED: VIDEO & SLIDESHOW: Fraser Valley Throwdown returns to Abbotsford

Movement Society (MoSo), Abbotsford’s CrossFit gym, sent ten athletes to the event.

Participant Liz Harris started CrossFit three years ago; it was her first time competing in something like this, she said, and she felt proud having pushed her limits in a competitive setting: the crowd was supportive, the other athletes were inclusive, and the atmosphere was great.

Head Coach Shane McAleese was “beyond proud” of his athletes’ performance:

Bill Vanderkooi, local business owner, came first in the 50 to 54 masters category; his favourite movement was the 100-foot handstand walk.

Local police officer Matt Magra also did well for himself, finishing fifth in the men’s division.

Associate director of the athletics program at UFV, Alicia Hurley, placed fourth in her division. She started CrossFit six years ago after graduating from University; Hurley was a cross country athlete as an undergraduate student. As she explained, “I joined CrossFit to reignite my passion for training and coaching. Crossfit and its amazing community has allowed me to move towards my potential.”

MoSo also sent two teams to the event. Charety Lambert, Nicole Holden and Lisa Matechuk placed 13th. As Holden said, “there is a vulnerability to stepping out onto the competition floor,” and yet “being in the moment empowers both the individual and the team.”

On the men’s team, Carlos Navarrete, Jordan Funk and Thomas Redekop, finished 16th: “We had no idea how much fun it would be to compete together,” Navarrete said. “We were surprised to see how body and mind react once that gun goes off and the adrenaline kicks in. It was a blast.”

McAleese, asserts the benefits of doing CrossFit which, he says, is “a recognized solution to improved health and fitness,” a solution that celebrates the achievements of a diverse group of athletes.

Article submitted by: Dr. Ranbir K Banwait and Ronald Sweeney