"Each competition is an experience and I always learn something new."
- Elma Ducic
Elma Ducic is feeling the weight, but it’s pushing her forward.
A veteran competitor from Canada East, Ducic has finished among the top 10 in Regional competitions for the past three years, and is a regular top-three finisher in smaller local competitions.
Yet, 2013 is still a year of firsts.
She sprained her wrist, which took her out of training for six weeks; and injured her shoulder, which she feels limits her ability to train. Beyond training injuries, Ducic took on a huge task in 2013: she opened her own affiliate, Hawkestone CrossFit. Ducic feels a bit overwhelmed and inspired at the same time.
“I have yet to grasp what it’s really going to feel like,” she admits. “I feel like I constantly want to be there, and get so excited when I am training people. It’s an amazing feeling and a huge responsibility, as well. All of this excitement I believe has motivated me even more to push myself harder and be the best I can this year in the Games.”
The workload is affecting her results, however.
“When I did 13.1 we were in the middle of renovations. I was exhausted with hardly any sleep or proper nutrition for the past month. I went in and did the workout without any strategy or plan. I think my pace was too slow, and I am sure I could have done way better on that workout,” Ducic says.
She finished in 40th place in the region.
“Since the last year, I’ve been working a lot more on my gymnastic skills and Olympic lifting,” she says. “It’s gotten better, but I’m still not where I would like and know I can be.”
Ducic made up some ground in 13.2 when she posted the highest score in the region with 377 reps. She feels the workout played to her strengths.
“I knew I had to try and kill this one and make myself feel a bit better after 13.1, but I was not expecting 377 reps,” she says. “My goal was to try to get to 12 rounds. Being first was definitely a surprise; I did not expect that at all.”
For the rest of the Open, Ducic is trying to channel her love for competition into the growth of her new affiliate.
“I love competing, no matter what I place. Each competition is an experience and I always learn something new. My main priority now is my newly opened affiliate. I want people that come through this door to have fun getting fit and walk out better people inside and out. I want them to experience that love for CrossFit as I have.”
