A Ste. Rose youth is making his mark in the world of crossfit.
Ayden Bradley, 15, recently advanced to the second of four stages as he works towards the CrossFit Games.
The worldwide competition began, Feb. 29, featuring fitness tests for three straight weeks.
After three events of the CrossFit Open, the top 25 per cent of athletes received invitations to advance to the quarterfinals.
Bradley finished in the top 14 per cent (86th percentile) in the boys 14 and 15 division worldwide and received an invitation to advance to the quarterfinals, which begin, Apr. 17.
Bradley started working out at a young age, but got serious about it three years ago. His father Steven had been competing in crossfit for 11 years, while his mother Michelle competed for five years.
“So I got it through him. And it helps that he owns the gym, so that was how I got to know crossfit,” Ayden said.
CrossFit is a fitness program that produces measurable outcomes through lifestyle changes, centered on training and nutrition. Workouts consist of constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movements and are most fun and effective among friends at a local CrossFit gym.
It can include heavy weightlifting and high volume gymnastics among other workouts regimens.
Bradley trains out of his father’s gym, EXT FIT in Ste. Rose du Lac, sharpening his skills five or six days weekly around varsity and junior varsity high school sports. He is the first from his family to advance past the annual CrossFit Open and was excited to advance to the quarterfinals.
“I was very happy about that, because ever since last year, my first year competing, I really wanted to get there. And getting there this year is a big accomplishment, so I’m pretty proud to get there,” he said.
In his first year, Bradley finished 522nd worldwide, 133rd in his region, North America West, and 24th in Canada.
This year, he placed 199th worldwide, 36th in his region and fifth in Canada.
Bradley is looking forward to competing again, hoping to improve his ranking.
“If I could get a bit higher in quarterfinals or stay right in around there and make semifinals, that would be a big accomplishment. I’d be very proud of that,” he said.
The quarterfinals features more skilled workouts over six days. The top 200 athletes will then advance to the semifinals in May in Carson, Cal. From there, the top 40 athletes worldwide will compete at the CrossFit Games in Texas this summer.
Bradley enjoys working out with others, who push him in his training.
“It’s always nice to have other people around me, pushing me and giving me that extra urge to keep on going. My family and people at the gym are always supportive, so it’s always nice to have people like that around you,” he said.