Whiz Kids: CrossFit Kids Ready For A Challenge

Who: Local teens Gavin Hunt (16), Hunter Thrane (16), Lauren Teague (17), Kai Higashiyama (14), Katelyn Breitschwerdt (14), Lara Leduc (17).

Accomplishment: Gavin, Hunter, Lauren, Kai, Katelyn, and Lara are competing in the Inaugural Teen Challenge at the Cross Fit Games, which will be held at Home Depot Center in Carson, California on July 29-31.

Key To Awesomeness: Competitors who come from all over the world to participate in the CrossFit Games at the Home Depot Center are seeking the title of Fittest Man and Fittest Woman Alive. The Inaugural Teen Challenge will be part of the games this summer. Teens from have been training with cardio workouts and weight lifting. Several also participated in a smaller competition which was held at CrossFit Monrovia last fall. The teens collaborate with one another before their work outs, which have included activities such as running, rowing, box jumps and rope-climbing. Over the 4th of July holiday weekend they also participated in a fun workout which consisted of alternating between running and swimming in CrossFit Monrovia members’ pools.

For the Inaugural Teen Challenge, the teens from CrossFit Monrovia will compete three at a time, and their goals are to get used to competition and to succeed. Participants don’t know exactly what will be asked of them ahead of time, but the activities could include running, Olympic weight lifting, jump roping, pull-ups, rope climbing, gymnastics, and other movements. The teams work with their coaches, Kate and Ryan Hunt, to put together the best combination of talents. Their favorite moves include: running and pull-ups (Gavin Hunt); running and weightlifting (Hunter Thrane); pull-ups and weightlifting (Lauren Teague); weightlifting (Kai Higashiyama); running and pull-ups (Katelyn Breitschwerdt); and heavy lifting (Lara Leduc).