Photo: Brad Sterner

Sterner stands atop the podium after finishing in first place for the teenage division at the 2016 Granite Games.

George Sterner has been competing in CrossFit for about two years and he has quickly climbed to the top of the leaderboards.

Sterner finished second in the teenage division at the 2016 CrossFit Open and placed second at Wodapalooza in Miami during 2016. His most impressive feat was when he finished second in the world for the teenage division at the 2016 CrossFit Games in California after his event win of a 335-pound clean.

Over the weekend of Sept. 10, Sterner took first in the teenage division at the 2016 Granite Games. His next competition is Sept. 24 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at the 8th Day Gym GR Games.

The path to the CrossFit games started with the Open with runs from late February into early March. There is one workout per week for five weeks. In the teenage division, there are 10 spots available for competitors from all over the world to advance to the CrossFit Games in late July.

In order to ascend to the top, Sterner spent countless hours training and striving to be the best.

“Just being the best something is (my) motivation. I had the opportunity to be the best. And it is just fun to get better, and the only way you can do that is if you push yourself,” explained Sterner.

Sterner trains, on average, nine to 10 times per week, and although he has a busy training schedule, he still has time to get his schoolwork done.

“I make schoolwork a priority. And you just have to be good with your time. I don’t mess around with stuff on my phone or wast[e] time. If I have a moment during the day to get stuff done, I get stuff done,” Sterner said.

Sterner’s goal of developing himself into a more well-rounded athlete is contingent on the way he trains. With this goal, Sterner’s training includes much more than just lifting and running.

“I wouldn’t say I have a stronger part. I like weightlifting, but I enjoy gymnastics and any monostructural cardio just as much. In CrossFit, you want to be as well-rounded as possible in those three modalities, so I enjoy it all because you kind of have to,” Sterner said.

Before Sterner was a CrossFit powerhouse, he wrestled and played football and baseball. As he grew away from team sports, he fell in love with CrossFit when he watched the 2013 CrossFit games. That is when Sterner decided that he wanted to compete.  

“I was more interested in something new and trying something different than taking the same old path. I enjoyed team sports while I played them, but I could see my path coming to a stop. But with CrossFit, I could compete basically forever,” Sterner said.