The United Kingdom has produced some exceptional athletes over the years. From 2013 Fittest Woman on Earth Sam Briggs to current UK #1 Zack George, some of the biggest names on the CrossFit circuit have been born and raised in Blighty.
The heavyweights of UK CrossFit have been showing up to dominate the competition on a global stage for some time now — and there’s a lot we can learn from them; from their training mindset to how they balance family and work. Here are just 8 British athletes to follow and learn from.
Zack George
- Age: 30
- Weight: 97kg
- Height: 182cm
Born in Leicestershire, UK, Zack George has been making headlines in the CrossFit world over the last few years. In 2020 he earned the title of Fittest Man in the UK, and was 26th in the world overall. No small feat from an athlete who describes himself as “massively overweight” as a child.
View this post on Instagram
After being bribed with a PlayStation by his father to get into shape, Zack started to devote his life to sport and physical improvement. As a teenager, he represented Leicester County in rugby, squash and table tennis; before coming across a clip of the 2013 CrossFit Games on YouTube and falling in love.
“I just loved the look of it. You’ve got to be strong, you’ve got to be fit. It really appealed straight away. As soon as I saw it, I thought, ‘That’s what I want to do. I want to get to the Games.’”
Since then Zack’s CrossFit career has taken off, earning him the nickname ‘Silverback’ for his intense dedication to the sport. Zack opened his own CrossFit affiliate — CrossFit BFG — in Leicester in 2015, devoting all his time to his dream of competing in the Individual Division at the Games. Zack qualified for the European CrossFit Regionals in 2018, and then placed first at the UK CrossFit Open 2020, earning himself a ticket to the 2020 CrossFit Games.
View this post on Instagram
Unfortunately due to the sudden arrival of the Coronavirus pandemic, his dreams of participating at the Games were put on hold as the number of participants was sharply cut — but that doesn’t mean he’s resting in his laurels. Still training 6 days a week, Zack is getting ready to attack the Games once again. He is also about to release his first book titled Start Where Others Stop which is currently available to pre-order.
Image Sources
- zack-george-crossfit: Photo courtesy of Zack George