At 40-years-old, Alisha Fortune is not letting age be the barrier to pushing her sporting boundaries.
After beginning her sporting career 31-years-ago with track and field, she took up bodybuilding in 2007 and now in 2015 she is taking on the best in Guyana at the inaugural E-Networks Crossfit Games which will be staged tomorrow.
As an athlete, Fortune has run from 60m to the marathon while as bodybuilder she has won numerous accolades locally and overseas.
And now while many athletes her age would be thinking of retirement, she is still pushing her body in the demanding sport of Crossfit.
Stabroek Sport’s Emmerson Campbell caught up with the multi-talented gladiator yesterday who gave some insight on her new challenge to be crowned the fittest woman in the Land of Many Waters.
So how did the mother of three get into Crossfit?
AF: Jamie (McDonald) called me and told me that he would be having a competition and he thought I would be the ideal person. But this is a new challenge for me to see how strong I am because it is a competition that I have never done before.
According to McDonald who is one of the coordinators of the event, the tasks for the athletes will include: three rounds for time of the 200m run, kettle bell swings, pull ups, dead lifts, burpees, sit ups (women) toes to bar (male), thrusters and box jumps and a mile run.
It will truly be a test of fitness when activities get underway at 10:00hrs at the National Park’s tarmac.
EC: You are a track and field athlete and a bodybuilder, how does Crossfit training differ from bodybuilding?
AF: The intensity, the reps and the short rest period is what makes the difference. In bodybuilding you have to do a lot of reps to fine tune but this is far different because you are going against the clock. I did a trial run yesterday and I can feel the effects in my body.
EC: Did you think you would be doing something this strenuous at your age?
AF: Not really, but I like to challenge myself, this is a new concept in Guyana and I would like the honor of being the first ever Crossfit champion. It’s a mind over matter something and come tomorrow I will see what it will do for me.
EC: What advice you’d give to other mature athletes about taking up new challenges whether it be Crossfit or other sporting endeavours?
AF: I would say that Crossfit is something good, it’s not like it’s something bad that will damage you. But my advice would be to make sure that you train for it, make sure that your body goes through the workout. Do not just jump into it like that you can injure yourself. But Crossfit is generally good for the body and will help you to be determined. It will call for a lot of determination and strength.
EC: Last but not least how you think you will do tomorrow?
AF: I’m in it to win it but we will see, I’m going out there to challenge myself. I’m not going out there to look at anyone, I will do what has to get done and hope for the best.
Fortune and four other males including three-time CAC gold medalist in bodybuilding Devon Davis will be representing Team GDF.
Tickets for adults is $500 and children are free.
For more information, fitness enthusiasts can visit the Guyana Cross-fit Games on Facebook.
