Help Emily compete in Wodapalooza, Miami 2023

Hi, I'm Emily Cairns, a personal trainer, dance teacher and adaptive Crossfit athlete from Perth, Western Australia.

 I need your help to get me to Miami to represent CrossFit Claremont (and Australia) in the 2023 Wodapalooza competition. I am the only Australian qualifier in my category, gaining entry by qualifying in the top 5 against athletes from around the world.

 To understand what being an adaptive athlete means, I want to share my story. I was born with Erb’s Palsy in my right arm which affects my strength and mobility on that side. I have spent most of my life hiding my disability, and people who meet me often don’t realise that my right arm is different. The reality is that living with Erb’s Palsy is a daily struggle for me in ways people often don’t notice. My right arm is so weak it doesn’t actually have the strength to lift a cup of coffee to my mouth. I never really spoke about my disability to anyone but my closest friends and family. This of course has had deeper implications for my mental health, especially when it comes to body acceptance. It has taken me a long time to accept Erb’s Palsy as part of my life, and a huge part of this acceptance has been through my journey into CrossFit.

 I started my CrossFit journey at CrossFit Claremont in 2021 and in doing so I found a sport that was inclusive, and incredibly supportive. Jason and the coaches at Claremont not only acknowledged my right arm, but worked to give me exercises that were safe and strengthening. I was no longer pretending my Erb’s Palsy didn’t exist, but instead found a safe way to train as an adaptive athlete. It has been two years of working out almost every day, learning to accept and work with my right arm and pushing myself to be the best athlete I can.

 Once I felt comfortable in the CrossFit gym, I wanted to challenge myself further by competing. I did my first competition in 2021 in the upper extremity adaptive category of the CrossFit open, and it was such an amazing experience to be able to compete against athletes from around the world who had to adapt just like me. There have been a lot of tears, and plenty of set backs along the road but I am very proud to share that I have just qualified for Wodapalooza this coming January. Wodapalooza is held in Miami, and only the top 5 athletes internationally are invited to compete in my category. To qualify for this competition is a huge opportunity for me to represent Australia, Crossfit Claremont and the adaptive athlete community.

 This is where I need your help. Unfortunately traveling to that side of the world at the moment is not a cheap activity. This opportunity is one that I have worked incredibly hard for, and it would be awful to miss out due to the expense. Any support you are able to give me means the absolute world to me. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this.

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