A Humble Competitor

Diana Flynn is pretty humble and understated about her achievements. “I played sport at school; netball, gymnastics, volleyball,” she says, “then squash once I finished school. I married a farmer and helped with all the hands-on stuff, but I never really considered myself an elite athlete.”

However, this very understated athlete is off to the World Crossfit Games in California in July, having qualified 18th in her age group (55-59yrs) in the world. “I’m pretty proud of it because I only started Crossfit  two and a half years ago,” she says. “I love that it’s challenging and the workouts are always different.

“You can’t practice for the qualifying workouts really because you never know what they are going to be,” she says. I posted my scores online over a series of workouts and made it through.”

Diana has swapped the farm for the gym and is now a personal trainer. “I always tell my clients, never say never,” she says. “Everyone is able to do some exercise and the benefits are so great; muscles are what supports your whole frame. It’s important to be strong. Crossfit is good if you have a competitive streak, but women do a lot of homework about exercise now – they can get stronger and fitter in a gym or box (a ‘box’ is where Crossfit takes place).

The World Crossfit Games is being held in the Stub Hub Centre in Carson California. There will be some 200 athletes in the masters women’s categories. “Last year, I had absolutely nothing to lose,” she says. “I qualified 19th and made it to 5th place. This year I have qualified 18th, so I am thinking a top three placing is achieveable.”

Diana is training an extratwo to four hours per week in preparation for the Worlds, but says one of the biggest challenges is the conditions. Going from a New Zealand winter to a US summer can play havoc with performance, and it is hard to acclimatise quickly. Her experience as a personal trainer and her coach’s fine work helps her keep injuries to a minimum. “You always have to work within your capabilities, practice good technique and modify where necessary,” she says.

All the competitors are largely self-funded. Diana’s Crossfit box is organising some fun events to help raise funds in the coming weeks, but much of the trip has had to be paid for already. IF you would like more information on Diana or to contribute, visit https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/dianaflynn56

We wish her all the best – CrossFit is a fitness phenomenon and she is a star within it!