Local athlete showcases women’s fitness during competition

Durban athlete, Roxanne Fairley who competed in a CrossFit competition has hailed the event as a great platform for women to showcase their fitness and match the intensity of male athletes.

The Durban WOD (Work Out of the Day) Wars started on Saturday and ended on Monday at Dairy Beach north of Durban. In total, 64 teams participated and each team fielded four athletes.

Speaking to the Daily News, Fairley, who is the Deep South CrossFit head coach, said that her team did well and was consistent, making the semi-finals for most events. “They did extremely well despite the number of injuries experienced within the team leading up to the event. We had to make last minute additions and this affected training together.”

She added that it was a local competition which attracted a few participants from across the country, and she was impressed by the quality of the participants.

The competition consisted of three events daily - an obstacle course, a tug-of-war and Olympic weightlifting in the evening.

“Other disciplines included gymnastics and weightlifting. Throughout the event, athletes were well-tested with a mixture of these disciplines. The event was well-planned as it also allowed for athletes to compete and not overwork and get injured. They kept the workouts short, sweet and explosive,” she said.

“The camaraderie in this competition was high. There was an amazing sense of community and it was awesome to see people of all fitness levels competing on the same floor.

She thanked the sponsors for a great vibe and sense of security. She said it was a great weekend of fun.

Fairley who discovered CrossFit four years ago through a Netflix documentary, said she was inspired by the top women athletes in the world.

“Just knowing that these women train and can get strong, fit and do things that women were never expected to do. It’s amazing to see women compete at the same level and intensity as men and this has kept me going,” she said.

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