How far was the four-time reigning women’s CrossFit Games champion willing to go to stay in tiptop shape and defend her title? From Tennessee to South Korea to train with the Australian women’s bobsled team.
Tia-Clair Toomey’s home gym in Nashville closed due to the coronavirus pandemic last winter. So the Australian native got creative.
Ms. Toomey, 28 years old, says bobsledding is a great complement to CrossFit: It requires strength, power and speed to propel a sled that can weigh upward of 450 pounds off the starting block. She competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in weightlifting, and hopes to make her second Olympic appearance on the bobsled team at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.
When she arrived in Seoul, she had to quarantine in her tiny hotel room for 14 days. She relied on a lot of burpees and a rowing machine for maintenance. Back at home, she typically trains 10 to 12 hours a day under the guidance of her husband and coach, Shane Orr.
The CrossFit Games are a grueling multiday competition. Events are kept secret until just before the contest begins—they might include handstand walks, deadlifts and sled pulls. “You have to be ready for the unknown,” says Ms. Toomey, whose workouts include everything from speedwork and rope climbs to muscle-ups, a combination of a pull-up and a triceps dip.