Many local competitions boast they have “something for everyone”: A Pro or Elite Division, an RX Division, a Scaled Division, a Master’s Division, and/or a Team Division. However, Wodapalooza Miami’s founders Guido Trinidad and Steve Suarez got word of a missing link. New this year to Wodapalooza Miami’s annual Fitness-Festival: The Adaptive Athlete Division.

 

The idea for the division was originally conceived when Steph Hammerman, a CrossFit Coach from Tampa, Florida (and the first-ever CrossFit athlete with Cerebral Palsy) approached Trinidad and Suarez with the proposal.The two needed no convincing—only guidance. 

 

“There needs to be opportunities for adaptive athletes to compete,” Steph said. “When I suggested the idea of an adaptive athletes division, Guido was excited, ‘Yes! Just tell us what we need to do,’” she added. Steph touched base with friend and athlete who suffered a lifting injury last year, Keven Ogar, to get the ball rolling. “We came up with the workouts and the structure that the competition will go down. And while we will be ‘competing’ at Wodapalooza Miami, adaptive athletes won’t be really competing against each other, but instead with each other—since everyone comes from different backgrounds and abilities,” Steph said. A total of fifteen athletes, from all over the country, will travel to Miami this weekend to make history in the heart of Downtown Miami. 

 

Check out some of these impressive stats of some of the participants:

 

Steph Hammerman, 24, CrossFit Ybor (Tampa, FL)

Cerebral Palsy

Snatch: 35 lbs.

Clean: 45 lbs.

Wall ball (weight): 14-20 lbs. 

Dumbbell Weight: 10 lbs. from knees; 15 lbs. from chair

Strict press: 60 lbs. 

Deadlift: 100 lbs. 

Kettlebell Weight: 26 lbs. 

 

Mike McDonough, 38, Eleventh Element CrossFit Hillard (Hillard, OH)

Right leg amputate due to CMT (neuromuscular disorder)

Snatch: 115 lbs.

Clean: 155 lbs.

Wall ball (weight): 20 lbs. 

Dumbbell Weight: 50 lbs. 

Strict press: 145 lbs. 

Deadlift: 350 lbs. 

 

Marcus Hayward, 30, CrazyTrain CrossFit (West Palm Beach, FL)

Left leg above the knee amputee, blurred vision, Traumatic brain injury

Snatch: 80 lbs.

Clean: 115 lbs.

Wall ball (weight): 20 lbs. 

Dumbbell Weight: 50 lbs. 

Strict press: 135 lbs. 

Deadlift: 210 lbs. 

Kettlebell Weight: 53 lbs. 

Krystal Cantu, 25, CrazyTrain CrossFit (West Palm Beach, FL)

Right arm amputee

Cerebral Palsy

Snatch: 45 lbs.

Clean: 95 lbs.

Wall ball (weight): 14 lbs. 

Dumbbell Weight: 65 lbs. 

Strict press: 40 lbs. 

Deadlift: 225 lbs. 

Kettlebell Weight: 45 lbs. 

 

Luke Ericson, 20, Unaffiliated (Kaneohe, HA)

Born without left arm and shoulder; Missing left lung; Severe scoliosis & Type 

1 Diabetes

Snatch: 55 lbs.

Clean: 105 lbs.

Wall ball (weight):  20 lbs. 

Dumbbell Weight: 45 lbs. 

Strict press: 55 lbs. 

Deadlift: 225 lbs. 

Kettlebell Weight: 55 lbs.

 

Kevin Ogar, 29, CrossFit Unbroken (Englewood, CO)

Paralegic

Snatch: 110 lbs.

Clean: 125 lbs.

Wall ball (weight): 14 lbs. 

Dumbbell Weight: 55 lbs. 

Strict press: 185 lbs. 

Kettlebell Weight: 35 lbs. 

 

And that is all just to name a FEW…stay tuned to meet, watch and get inspired by 

the amazing athletes preparing to take center stage at Wodapalooza Miami in 2015. 

 

If you want to catch the excitement and incredible feats from the Adaptive Athlete competition, make sure to check out the Live Stream, right here at http://FloElite.com and http://wodapaloozamiami.com.

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Wodapalooza: Past, Present, Future
Wodapalooza Talent 2015
Preparing For The Open Like Ohlsen