At the end of the South West Regional, Jasmine Dever’s 3rd place finished earned her a second trip to the Games as an individual competitor. But her training partner, Kristen Olson, came in 4th place and would not be able to join her friend in California.
“My reaction (to securing a spot at the Games) was bittersweet,” Dever said. “I knew that I was going, but I also realized that my training partner, Kristen Olson came in 4th, so she missed qualifying by one spot. It makes things a lot easier when you have a friend that you workout with everyday by your side. I will miss that.”
Despite this, Dever, who placed 27th in 2010, is excited to have another chance to be deemed “Fittest on Earth.”
Dever is an anomaly in the elite CrossFit world. With no athletic background, she finally found some courage to walk into Front Range CrossFit in 2007 and try it out. “I’ve been hooked since.”
Dever competed in horse show jumping before getting into CrossFit. “Athletically, I don’t feel there is any translation,” she said. “However, the dedication and devotion to an individual sport is exactly the same. I have always been very willing to train hard and sacrifice in the sport or hobby that I do, and CrossFit has been a great way of continuing that as an adult.”
With no athletic background, many would credit her success to natural ability. But Dever credits her hard work, her coach, Skip Miller, and being the right size for CrossFit.
Dever has been competing since 2009. She gave up her individual spot in 2009 to compete with her team at Front Range CrossFit, placing 10th that year. “Giving up my spot in 2009 was a difficult decision, but the right one,” she said. “It gave me the opportunity to compete on my team and I loved every minute of it.”
She decided to make the transition into individual competition in 2010. “Competing as an individual is an honor and a privilege. It is almost like a different sport, going as an individual, but it can be very rewarding, and in many ways more of a challenge,” Dever explained. “You don’t have anyone to lean on – it is just you out there, and every mistake is seen by everyone. But the sense of accomplishment is unlike anything I’ve ever felt. Individual competition is where my heart is.”
The nursing student never has a typical training week, since she’s balancing competition with full-time school and full-time work. “Before Regionals, I was only training three to four times a week,” Dever said. “Luckily, I am on a break from school before the Games, so I have been able to spend a lot more time doing CrossFit. I just do everything Skip, my coach, tells me to do and I follow his programming.”
In addition to regular class workouts, Dever also jumps in on the team workouts and does some extra lifting. “My training hasn’t changed a lot leading up to the Games because I feel like all year long is preparation for the Games.”
Dever said her motivation comes from wanting to be proud of what she has done, but is also driven by making her gym and family proud. “I am the luckiest CrossFitter out there when it comes to support. Not only do I have an amazing team that is always there for each other, but I also have a very cool mom that cooks me tons of paleo food every week, and has never missed a competition.” she said. “Also, it helps to have a great boyfriend that understands my lifestyle, and keeps me calm and focused.
“Training at FRCF is so great. The facility is any CrossFitter’s dream, and I really do have the best coaches in the world. I would be nowhere without the guidance and support of my coach, Skip Miller. I really love my gym.”
