If we’re totally honest, we could be here for hours filling you in on all of the amazing things we love about Gracie. Most notably, she is a young, up and coming CrossFit athlete.
We were lucky enough to be able to dig deep with Gracie, and get to know her a little better!
Hi Gracie! Can you tell us how you first discovered CrossFit? Was competing in CrossFit professionally always a goal for you? Or was there a particular moment that made you realise you had the skill and ability to make this a career?
Well…. It was thanks to Covid that I stumbled across CrossFit back in 2020. I had recently come home from backpacking around Europe, I had no sense of direction in life as I had also just decided to take a break from studying full time. A friend recommended I try a CrossFit class and since doing my first class, I fell in love with the style of training.
I had never really thought about becoming a professional athlete however, I did start to build a goal to reach the CrossFit Games. A few girls mentioned that I was progressing very quickly. It wasn't until then that I decided to cut down working and commit to training a little more seriously. I built up many skills during that year and realised that the work I was putting in was worth it and so I decided to continue down the path and now I am able to train full-time.
What’s your number one tip for staying disciplined, and focused on achieving your goals?
The most important thing that you must have is enjoyment and passion, without these it will be very difficult to stay disciplined and on track to achieving your goals. The man who loves walking will always walk further than the man who doesn't. It also helps to have smaller goals as stepping stones to achieve your main goal.
What have you been focusing on in the off-season to prepare for the 2024 season?
During this off-season I have really had to prioritise making sure I keep my body healthy. I've learnt to take extra time prioritising accessory movements and making sure the ‘little things’ are done perfectly because they really aren't so little at the end of the day.
Anyone who follows you on Insta will know that you train in the gym as hard as you compete on the floor! (Seriously, what a weapon!) How do you prioritise your recovery to keep your body fighting fit when it’s pushed to its limits?
Recovery is a huge part of life and training routine, not only to make sure I can perform my best but to ensure I stay injury free. A non-negotiable is sleep, I make sure I'm getting 8 hours of sleep every night. The next biggest is nutrition as you can't perform well if you're not fuelling the body correctly, so getting enough protein to recover each day is a must. From here I would say body work (stretching/massage ect) is the most important and I'm making sure to get enough done each week to stay injury free and niggle free. I make sure to keep all of these at the top of my priority list so that I know I'm recovered so that I can train to my limits.
What lift, WOD or result are you the most proud of?
This year at Torian Pro (Australia Semi Finals) there was a workout that had ring muscle ups with a 14lb ruck. The previous year, I struggled to do normal ring muscle ups at Torian so this year I was very proud of myself during this workout as it had previously been a huge weakness for me. I ended up enjoying the workout and placing well too!
What would the perfect competition workout look like for you?
I definitely do love a good barbell and row or echo bike so maybe a combination of this or an event with a swim. I really do love to swim but I wish more events had it.
What’s the coolest experience you’ve had as an athlete?
Winning double Grace at the DUCC this year was very cool, especially after having a pretty rough weekend. My career as an athlete has only just started so I know I'll have many more cool moments like this.
WOD: For time (8 min time cap)
60 Clean and Jerks at 42.5kg
Completed in 3:58
What have you got coming up this season within CrossFit and your personal life that you’re most excited about?
The start of 2024 I have Wodapalooza in Miami which is an exciting start for 2024. As soon as we get back, the CrossFit Games season begins so I'll be looking forward to hopefully qualifying for my first Crossfit Games and getting to travel a whole bunch more for the rest of the season too!
Outside of the gym, what’s your favourite way to spend your free time?
My favourite thing to do at the moment is spend time with my new Mini Dachshund Billie. I love taking him to the beach and to the park. I also love eating so on the weekends of a rest day! I love going out to get something yummy.
This is Billie:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvbp_WPPJzE/?img_index=1 https://www.instagram.com/p/CuwGVc1vjIk/?img_index=1 https://www.instagram.com/p/CtylQ4RPQIA/?img_index=1
Tell us about the moment in your life so far that’s made you the proudest?
The moment that has made me most proud so far in my life would be finishing my first Rottnest Channel Swim. It is a 19.7km open water swim from Cottesloe to Rottnest Island in Western Australia. I completed my first RCS when I was 17 and I didn't realise how long it really was until a few years later when I stopped swimming and completed another RCS in a team.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you? Any party tricks, weird phobias, or hidden talents?
I have a phobia of raw wood. Popsicle sticks and wooden cutlery makes me super uncomfortable – I'll get goosebumps straight away. I also have a condition called Horner's Syndrome, basically only one of my pupils can’t dilate so if it's dark one pupil will be big but the other one will always stay small.
And last but not least, what’s your go to Beforeyouspeak brew?
My go to brew currently is the Collagen Mocha, I love getting in my caffeine in the morning along with a little chocolate hit too!