"I know that if I want to become a stronger athlete, I have to quit (eating) candy. Candy is my real weakness."
Anita Seccia is being considered the Argentinean promise in Latin America for this year’s Games season.
Seccia, a mother and coach, began doing CrossFit in November 2011 at CrossFit Tuluka. She was drawn to CrossFit right away.
“What really draws my attention of the CrossFit community is the companionship,” she says. “My training mates became my friends. And I … am convinced … that at the practice of any sport, you need this kind of atmosphere, these values among the people who are part of it, the feeling that you belong to something really big and that you are really important to the community.”
Before CrossFit, she coached Capoeira — a martial art well known among Argentineans.
“I met Anita in the year 1998 when she initiated herself in the skills of Capoeira,” co-owner of CrossFit Tuluka, Nicolás Ini, says. “After a Capoeira class she would ask me to help her practice a difficult movement until she could do it without any problem.”
Ini adds: “Moreover, she would even dare to fight against any opponent even if that meant fighting against a man. She is a determined and brave woman, and I think that … will help her achieve her goals for these Games.”
At CrossFit Tuluka, if you want to compete, you participate in a special training program, co-owner, Santiago Terbalca, says.
And Seccia says it’s working.
“Since I entered Santiago’s program … I improved a lot of things I thought would be impossible,” she explains. “As Santiago says to me, I’ve ‘acquired powers.’ I believe that I can achieve the goal set for this year with Santiago’s program.”
Seccia thrives when she’s facing a challenge. Her goals for 2013 include qualifying for Regionals and finishing in the top five in Latin America.
“She has everything to crush it on the Regionals,” Tuluka coach, Jose Cacha, says. “She has strength, technique, perseverance and attitude. I have had the pleasure of training with her several times because I used to be part of the athletes’ program, and I can assure that every time she couldn’t do an exercise, she wouldn’t stop until she could do it.”
Her motivation comes from her daughter and athletes she coaches at the gym.
“My kids love CrossFit,” she says. “When my daughter accompanies me to my training session, she usually invites some friends and she prepares a WOD for them. When she was asked at school, ‘Who is your favorite sports woman?’ she answered that her mother was. And that gives me a lot of peace … knowing my daughter supports me is priceless.”
“What I really love … is to see how my students realize the prowess they have inside of them, and how happy they become for increasing their level of fitness across broad time,” she adds.
At 35, Seccia will be competing against women 10 years her junior. But she’s confident.
“Facing younger competitors is going to be very difficult, but (along) with (the other) 35-year-olds, I’m sure that I will be able to do it.”
While she feels her skill, strength and technique are solid, she says she needs to focus on nutrition.
“I have tried several times to start the paleo diet, but I failed every single time I tried,” she admits. “I know that if I want to become a stronger athlete, I have to quit (eating) candy. Candy is my real weakness.”
