Megan pictured with coach Neil Barrett from FitHub Letterkenny where Megan trains
YOUNG Donegal athlete Megan Keown combined strength and finesse to lift her way to a championship performance at the World Crossfit Open.
The 14-year-old power lifter was awarded first place in Europe and sixth place in the world rankings after completing five gruelling workouts in her scaled category.
Amazingly, the Loreto Milford pupil only started Crossfit training a year and a half ago.
Her delighted mum, Cecelia, said: “It’s fantastic news. She was nervous because it was her first competition and she didn’t know what to expect but she was very determined to give it a go.
“Even when she started Crossfit she wasn’t too sure what to expect but her coach said she had a talent and she seemed to take to it quite quickly.”
Describing one of the competition workouts as “quite disgusting” (tough) Megan also said she couldn’t believe the results.
“There were loads of burpees. It was hard but I’m glad I did it. I think it’s a good thing for girls to lift weights. It’s good for your fitness and its fun as well,” added the talented sports star from Letterkenny.
Megan’s coach, Neil Barrett of FitHub Letterkenny, said it was a fantastic achievement for the teenager.
He said: “Megan is a dedicated athlete and it is a well-deserved success. She has come a long way in her Crossfit training in such a short time. She is very humble about her success and we are very proud of her.”
Raising the bar- Megan Keown