Adaptive CrossFit Games in Texas, USA 

For those who don’t know me I am Miss Dell’Aquila and this year I am teaching Prep at GWPS. In my spare time I discovered CrossFit, and it has quickly become a passion for me! Now I’m off to the Adaptive CrossFit Games in Texas, USA to compete against the top 10 athletes in the world! 

What’s CrossFit I hear you wondering? Well, it’s a sport that that incorporates elements from several sports and types of exercise. It combines weightlifting, gymnastics and body weight movements. 

And what do I mean by Adaptive Games? It’s for athletes with a disability.  I am an adaptive athlete which means I have a physical disability. You may have noticed that I wear something on my right leg. This is called an AFO (ankle foot orthotic) and it supports me to walk.

My journey started at 18 months old when I was diagnosed with a spinal cord tumour that caused permanent nerve damage on my right side, specifically below the knee. This means I have no strength or movement below the knee and wear an AFO (Ankle Foot Orthotic) to support me to walk and train. Instead of letting this challenge define me, I decided to redefine what’s possible. How can I encourage all my students to take positive risks and step outside their comfort zone if I don’t lead by an example? So here I am, preparing for a huge opportunity where I can prove that strength comes in many forms. I've learned to adapt, to fight, and to thrive, showing that limitations are only in the mind. Most importantly I want to be part of change. Growing up, there was no adaptive athletes to look up to as a role model. There was Paralympians and that’s about it.   So, originally, I wanted to share my story to help the division grow and evolve so that other people with disabilities could be inspired to embrace their own challenges. For future generations to have a community too.  

Now, I’m preparing for The Adaptive CrossFit Games by WheelWOD in Texas. This means I am in the top 10 athletes in the world! I am training for up to 3-4 hours a day and constantly pushing myself outside my comfort zone to learn new skills.  I’m driven by the belief that we can all exceed our own expectations. 

If you want to see what it’s all about, you can watch my competition on YouTube (links sent closer to the comp) or if you would like to hear more about my story you can listen to a podcast or visit my GoFundMe page.

Keep your eyes peeled for the link to watch me and the other amazing adaptive athletes throwdown on Sept 19-22, 2024, in SanAntonio, Texas.

As I always say, time to get comfortable with being uncomfortable…

Samantha Dell’Aquila😊