(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Two years ago Sarah Veress (San Francisco, Calif. / Unattached) was just inches away from competing at the Beijing Olympic Games.  

Not in weightlifting, but in the hammer throw where the Stanford grad placed third at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track and Field.  However, Veress jut just missed making the team when she failed to meet the A standard needed to qualify for the Games. 

“I finished throwing after Trials and I spent some time just running and trying to get back in shape,” said Veress who was first introduced to CrossFit in January and has competed at the sectional and regional level.  “I just kind of walked around downtown San Francisco and went past a gym and saw someone I knew from college.  My former coach at Stanford was into CrossFit too so there were a couple of endorsements and it just looked like fun so I thought I’d try it out.”  

On Sunday, Veress competed in the 75kg division of the inaugural CrossFit / USA Weightlifting Open at Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs.  

A natural athlete who played soccer before transitioning to hurdles and jumping events and later focusing on the hammer throw, Sunday marked the first time Veress had competed in an Olympic weightlifting competition... more>

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Two-time Olympian Chad Vaughn (Florence, Texas / Spoon Barbell Club) had done exactly one full CrossFit workout prior to entering the CrossFit / USA Weightlifting Open at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs on Saturday. 

A certified coach who teaches Olympic weightlifting to CrossFit athletes weekly to athletes around Austin, Vaughn tried not to worry about the competition prior to this weekend.

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Chris Spealler (Oakley, Utah / Team CrossFit) is often referred to as one of the best known CrossFit athletes in the nation.  Now the 31-year-old can add Olympic weightlifting to his resume.

At 5’5” and 62kg, Spealler often competes against taller, heavier athletes at events such as the CrossFit Games, but still holds his own, placing third at this year’s event in July.

Top CrossFitters have been described as the world’s fittest athletes and train in strength and conditioning programs that include weightlifting, sprinting and gymnastics.

On Friday, Spealler won gold in the 62kg division at the first-ever CrossFit / USA Weightlifting Open at Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs. 

As expected, Spealler dominated the CrossFit portion of the event, completing more than eight rounds of the Triplet in just 10 minutes – besting silver medalist Robert Sirkis (Irving, Texas / Unattached) by more than four rounds in an event that included as many rounds of six squat cleans (55kg men / 30kg women), 12 pull-ups and 24 double unders as could be completed in the allotted time.

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Two-time Olympian Chad Vaughn (Florence, Texas / Spoon Barbell Club) lifted on the international stage last week when he lifted in the 77kg division at the Senior World Championships in Antalya, Turkey and will return to competition in a new environment on Saturday.

Vaughn will compete in the 85kg division at the CrossFit / USA Weightlifting Open at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs where nearly 200 athletes will compete in this first-time event that begins on Friday and continues through Sunday.

“I’ve been working with the CrossFit community in Austin for around a year now and I really like their attitude and agree with their philosophy,” Vaughn said.  “I’m looking forward to taking this opportunity to jump in, have fun and do what I can out there... more>

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Weightlifting and CrossFit fans will have the opportunity to watch a one-of-a-kind event live this weekend when the CrossFit / USA Weightlifting Open is shown live from Colorado Springs at http://live.crossfit.com.

Featuring nearly 200 competitors from the ranks of both the CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting community, athletes will compete in seven women’s and eight men’s weight divisions.

The Webcast, which will include commentary both elite weightlifting athletes and coaches, will begin at 9:30 a.m. MDT on Friday with a 30-minute preview show.  Competition will begin at 10 a.m.

Video archives of the entire event will be available by weight class after the event begins... more>