Australia is one of the fastest growing areas in CrossFit ... With the Open about to begin, we take a look at some of the individual athletes to keep an eye on over the five weeks of competition.
Pictured above: Justine Beath
Pictured above: Rachael Cleave
Pictured above: Jessica Coughlan
Pictured above: James Newbury
Pictured above: Trent Jones
Pictured above: Andrew Berridge
Australia is one of the fastest growing areas in CrossFit and has produced a number of world-class athletes over the past few years. With the Open about to begin, we take a look at some of the individual athletes to keep an eye on over the five weeks of competition.
MEN
Trent Jones
After qualifying for the Australia Regional for the first time last year, Trent Jones is out to secure another appearance at the WIN Entertainment Centre in 2013.
The former gymnast found CrossFit online in 2009. Since then, he has completed the Level 1 Seminar, become a coach at CrossFit PTZone Mornington and established himself as one of the rising stars in Australia.
Last year, Jones finished 30th in the Open in Australia, and went on to compete in his first Regional event, where he finished 33rd.
His recent victory at the State of Origin Classic, where he beat three-time Games competitor, Chris Hogan, and Regional competitor, Michael Roach, proves he will be one to watch out for this year.
Clean and Jerk: 120 kg
Snatch: 100 kg
Deadlift: 240 kg
Back Squat: 170 kg
Max Pull-ups: 50
Fran: 2:57
Grace: 1:56
Helen: 7:46
Fight Gone Bad: 467
Filthy Fifty: 18:33
Andrew Berridge
Co-owner of CrossFit North Head in Sydney, Andrew Berridge, found CrossFit after a successful kickboxing career, which saw him claim six Australian titles. The 29-year-old hung up the gloves and picked up CrossFit in 2010. With less than a year of CrossFit experience behind him, Berridge qualified for the 2011 Australia Regional, where he finished 42nd overall.
Last year, Berridge had an interrupted season with the birth of his first child midway through last year’s Open and failed to qualify for Regionals.
In the past six months, Berridge has trained with Graham Holmberg, Carl Paoli and Tommy Hackenbruck. He has his eyes set on another Regional appearance in 2013.
Clean and Jerk: 120 kg
Snatch: 100 kg
Deadlift: 190 kg
Back Squat: 165 kg
Fran: 2:45
Diane: 2:42
30 Muscle-ups: 2:38
James Newbury
With less than a year of CrossFit training, James Newbury competed at his first Australia Regional last year, finishing ninth overall.
In 2013, Newbury is hoping to qualify for the Regionals again, and secure another top-10 finish.
He was introduced to CrossFit in 2011 byCFX head coach, Mick Shaw. Newbury was in New South Wales at the time playing Rugby League. Within months he completed the Level 1 Seminar.
Newbury is back in South Australia, and with another full year of CrossFit training behind him, he hopes to find his name higher on the Leaderboard during the 2013 Open.
Clean and Jerk: 125 kg
Snatch: 100 kg
Deadlift: 225 kg
Back Squat: 170 kg
Max Pull-ups: 85
Fran: 2:18
Helen: 6:59
Fight Gone Bad: 369
Sprint 400 meters: 0:53
Run 5K: 18:44
WOMEN
Rachael Cleave
After competing on a team at last year’s Australia Regional, Rachael Cleave is planning on returning to the WIN Entertainment Centre as an individual in 2013.
She competed with CrossFit Athletic at the 2012 Regionals, where they qualified for the Games and finished 38th overall.
Cleave’s first individual appearance at a Regional was in 2011, where she tied for 15th. Her 16th-place finish in last year’s Open proves she still has what it takes to mix it with the best CrossFitters in Australia.
Apart from CrossFit, Cleave works as a paramedic in Sydney and was a member of Australia’s Mixed Touch Football team from 2009 to 2011.
Clean and Jerk: 76 kg
Snatch: 62.5 kg
Deadlift: 125 kg
Back Squat: 105 kg
Max Pull-ups: 42
Fran: 3:06
Grace: 2:45
Helen: 8:01
Justine Beath
Justine Beath competed at her first Australia Regional in 2011, where she represented CrossFit Penrith. While the team finished 12th overall, Beath was one of the standout performers, lifting more in the Thruster Ladder than any female individual or team competitor.
After switching to CrossFit Active in 2012, Beath competed as an individual at the Australia Regional where she out-performed many top athletes to finish 10th. Since then, she has picked up a sponsorship with The Brave and continues to record new PRs.
Beath started CrossFit in 2009. At first, she struggled to run 400 meters and could barely do a single push-up. Now, after three years of solid training, Beath is one of the up-and-comers in Australia.
Clean and Jerk: 88 kg
Snatch: 69 kg
Deadlift: 130 kg
Back Squat: 130 kg
Front Squat: 110 kg
Clean: 88 kg
Max Pull-ups: 35
Fran: 3:40
Grace: 2:05
Jessica Coughlan
Jessica Coughlan is wasting no time making a name for herself in CrossFit.
After picking up the sport in 2011, Coughlan qualified for Regionals a few months after a super-impressive performance in the Open, where she finished eighth overall in Australia.
That year, she decided to compete in the team division, helping CrossFit NorWest to a seventh-place finish.
In 2012, with a full year of CrossFit training behind her, the former gymnast finished second in Australia at the end of the Open, qualifying for her second Regional. Coughlan went on to finish the Regional weekend in sixth place.
Now a sponsored athlete for Rogue Australia, Coughlan is hoping for another top-10 finish in this year’s Open.
Clean and Jerk: 75kg
Snatch: 70kg
Deadlift: 120kg
Back Squat: 130 kg
Max Pull-ups: 50
Fran: 2:35
Grace: 2:23
Helen: 8:15
Sprint 400 meters: 1:04
Run 5K: 19:20
