“CrossFit is different because you are constantly pushing your body to maximum exertion. In Olympic weightlifting, there are only three movements that you have to master, while for CrossFit … well, you have to be ready for anything.”
Photos by: Jane Evans
Coach and co-owner at CrossFit Imperio, Diego Manco is no stranger to competition and hard work.
He has been competing for many years as an Olympic weightlifter and is an active member of the coaching crew of the Peruvian Olympic Weightlifting team. In 2010, however, he was asked to be an Olympic weightlifting coach at a CrossFit box. And it was a call that changed everything.
Manco was in awe of CrossFit. He says he found it challenging and rewarding.
“CrossFit is different because you are constantly pushing your body to maximum exertion,” he says. “In Olympic weightlifting, there are only three movements that you have to master, while for CrossFit … well, you have to be ready for anything.”
Manco entered the spotlight in the Latin America Region early in the 2013 Open when he submitted a score of 167 reps on 13.1. He finished in sixth on that workout, and after five weeks, is sitting in 16th place in the region.
Manco has been doing CrossFit on and off since 2010, but since his box opened last May, he has never missed his daily workout.
“It is not easy to train while you are a coach because sometimes a member from our box will approach me with a question and my training ends up being different than what I had planned,” he says.
However, because of his discipline with training this has not had a negative impact on his performance.
“I have to thank my business partner, Jane Evans, because she makes sure that I train every day, and she takes no excuses.”
Manco started lifting when he was 12 years old, and since has been awarded several gold medals in recognition for his achievements. A seasoned weightlifter, he has an edge on other CrossFitters when it comes to heavy lifts, but his weaknesses are met-cons and endurance. So, his game plan has consisted of including CrossFit Endurance in his programming, as well as running marathons and swimming.
This is Manco’s second year participating in the Open, but his first year going to Regionals. He would like to compete as a part of CrossFit Imperio’s team. His box currently has 22 athletes competing in the Open and many are new to CrossFit.
To ease the intimidation of the Open, he brought back the previous workouts. Manco made it his mission to encourage his athletes to register for the Open regardless of the length of their experience in CrossFit.
“I included last year’s Open workouts in our programming to show them that they have nothing to fear,” he says. “That it is basically what we do every day at the box, but with judges present.”
Opening his box just nine months ago, he says the growth of CrossFit in Peru has been extensive.
“We were the second box in Lima, and now there are two more boxes, which pretty much sums up the great potential of CrossFit in our country.”
Manco is excited to go to Regionals with his athletes, and feels he is now reaching yet another milestone in his sports career.
“Competing is the only way to know where you are and compare yourself to other competitors and teams. It helps me restructure the daily programming for me and for our athletes.”
