Hannah Donald has been crowned the fittest 16-17-year-old girl in New Zealand.
The talented Wairarapa College student outran, out lifted, and bettered her rivals in four of seven gruelling workouts at the National Crossfit Games held last weekend at the velodrome in Cambridge.
The championships comprise two stages, the first stage is an online qualifier where athletes compete and video record six programmed workouts. Off the back of that, only the top 10 girls in that division were selected for the nationals.
Donald, who trains at Masterton’s Optimus Fitness gym, was fourth in the online competition to qualify for the championships.
Over the two days of the nationals, the athletes competed in seven gruelling workouts, including gymnastic rig work, Olympic weightlifting, a 3km run with a jerry can, rope climbing, barbell work and other exercises.
Donald won four of the events, to win the overall titles, and said she thoroughly enjoyed the competition.
“It was the ultimate fitness test, pushing every part of my body to the limit,” she said.
“I was so lucky to have such a great support team with me, including my family and coaches [Kieran and Fred Te Whare], and they made it so easy for me to go out and perform to my best abilities.”
Kieran Te Whare was over the moon with Donald’s performance and said her buildup and execution were outstanding.
“Her work ethic up to and during the competition was at a level that is very rare in a person of that age. It’s a competition to find the fittest athlete and she executed her game plans to the tee,” he said.
Donald’s talent doesn’t stop with it. She has also been identified as one of New Zealand Hockey’s talented up-and-comers and attended a national under-18 development camp earlier this year.
