"Many ... don't believe they are capable of doing CrossFit. I try to show them that they can."
A few months ago, a petite 61-year-old woman named Fátima De Almeida signed up for the CrossFit Games Open from her home in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Her scores on the five Open workouts did not earn her any special accolades or a space in the Masters Qualifier, but that didn’t matter. De Almeida got the chance to compete alongside the 200 other competitors from her box, CrossFit SP, and earned the distinction of being one of the oldest competitors in the region.
While CrossFit competition is quickly spreading amongst the young in Latin America, it has yet to reach those in their 60s. Only two women and two men signed up for the 60+ Division of the 2014 Open in the region.
De Almeida said she hopes to get others like her into the sport.
“We are trying to show older adults how CrossFit changes and enhances lives,” she said. “There is only a handful (of CrossFit athletes) in the masters division. However, many older adults have reached out to me for more information after hearing about my experience in the CrossFit Games Open.”
Week after week, she set new personal records and made the impossible possible.
When CrossFit Games Director Dave Castro asked for power snatches and double-unders in 14.1, De Almeida got out the rope and managed to get her first double-under, and then five more.
Two weeks later, she lifted more weight off the ground than ever before. One 115-lb. deadlift would beat her personal record by 38 lb., and yet she managed to do it seven times on 14.3.
“I was ecstatic when I performed them with cheers from my coaches and other athletes,” she said. “I was able to achieve what seemed impossible to me before.”
De Almeida has always been active, with a long history as a swimmer, runner and dancer. Yet the addition of CrossFit has changed her from an athlete on the decline, to an athlete who is improving her fitness even as the days, months and years fly by.
Her youngest son got her started in CrossFit two years ago when she was visiting him in Orlando, Florida. She encouraged him to try everything from martial arts to soccer, basketball and triathlons as a kid, and he wanted to return the favor.
“My mother has always been very active, full of energy and competitive,” Leonardo De Almeida said.
Yet, at the time, she was suffering from poor posture and persistent back pain. Despite the aches and pains, she walked into CrossFit Kings Point in October of 2012 for her first on-ramp class, which her son had paid for, and tried it out.
“It was incredible,” she said. “It was nothing like what I had experienced before in any sport. It was very challenging and new, and that was attractive. I loved it, I felt at home.”
De Almeida continued: “The unorthodox appearance of the box was truly awesome—open space, no machines, pull-up bars, climbing ropes, gymnastics rings, rowers. The head trainer was very attentive and patient, asked me about my previous sports experience, health history and injuries, paying particular attention to my history of lower back issues.”
She returned to Brazil, and thought she would never do CrossFit again. But then, three months later, she found CrossFit SP and started CrossFit in earnest. Now two years into CrossFit, her posture is better and her once persistent back pain has gone away.
“I used to have back pain due to lack of proper exercise and strength and often felt fatigued. Now I feel mentally tough and pushing your limits through CrossFit leads to a greater sense of accomplishment and well being,” she said. “I feel better prepared to face all things in various aspects of life.”
After reaping the benefits of training, she has set out to show others like her the difference CrossFit can make.
“Many … don't believe they are capable of doing CrossFit,” De Almeida said. “I try to show them that they can. With the quick growth of CrossFit in Brazil my hope is that more masters-level athletes join me.”
