Ella Wilkinson walked into a CrossFit gym in 2018, encouraged by her parents and sister. She loved her first workout, but after seven years of competitive gymnastics, she felt frustrated by her lackluster performance. This frustration motivated her to return the next day.
And the next.
Soon, she was hooked.
How It Started
At the age of 15, Wilkinson stepped away from competitive gymnastics after facing mental blocks and injuries. She decided to sever all ties with the sport; however, the move left her feeling lost as she searched for purpose — a heavy burden for someone so young.
Upon discovering CrossFit and making progress in it, she realized that her gymnastics background provided a significant advantage in many ways. She recalls training for handstand walking as a child, practicing in 25-foot segments. A penalty for kicking down was a set of V-ups.
- “I learned to handstand walk very well because I didn’t want the penalty,” Wilkinson told Morning Chalk Up.
One of the biggest challenges, however, as Wilkinson explained, was upper-body strength.
- “I was a tumbler and a trampolinist, so all the power was generated through [my] legs,” Wilkinson said. “The upper body plays a lesser role. I remember this guy I knew, a world-class tumbler, who could barely string together five pull-ups. That has actually been one of my weaknesses: upper body pulling.”
She’s made waves at competitions over the past year, which she credits to her work with coach Steven Fawcett.
How It’s Going
Wilkinson competed at the 2024 French Throwdown, finishing in 14th place and narrowly missing a qualifying spot for the CrossFit Games.
Since then, she has been busy. One of the few athletes supported by Adidas, Wilkinson participated in the iF3 Super Worlds in Budapest, Hungary, in December 2024, securing second place behind fellow Adidas athlete Mirjam von Rohr.
It was at this event that we witnessed Elkinson’s grit firsthand during a brutal C2 bike and rowing workout, where she claimed first place.
- “I remember you can hear someone in that video saying, ‘You have to push,’ and I finished, and I was done. I saw that (von Rohr) was in front of me, and the little boat was getting closer and closer to me. I got her at the last minute, and it was awful. It took a lot of mental strength in that row. I was gone the rest of the day,” Wilkinson said.
Wilkinson then tackled the CrossFit Open, where she finished 54th worldwide. In addition to the CrossFit season, she is also pursuing the World Fitness Project Tour I as a Challenger, having finished the online qualifier in second place.
What’s Next?
Wilkinson has a busy few months ahead. She will compete at the Wodland Fest in Spain from April 25 to 27, hoping to qualify for the CrossFit Games.
The following events are somewhat uncertain — Wilkinson is currently registered for the French Throwdown and plans to compete there if she does not secure a Games qualifying spot at Wodland.
However, the French Throwdown coincides with the World Fitness Project Tour Event 1. Thus, if Wilkinson does not qualify for the Games through Wodland, she will face a decision.
- She has already secured a spot as a Challenger for the WFP Tour Event 1, so she must choose between accepting that opportunity or traveling to Lyon to try again for a place on the 2025 CrossFit Games roster.
When we asked her if she felt frazzled at all by these scenarios, she told us no. She’s looking forward to gaining competition experience and getting more accustomed to performing under pressure.
- Wilkinson: “I’m excited and just so anxious to see what happens.”
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Featured Image: Scott Freymond
