Recently, the Morning Chalk Up had the opportunity to chat with Australia’s Emily Cairns, the Fittest on Earth in the Women’s Upper 1 Point division.
- After narrowly missing out on a qualifying spot at the 2023 Games, Cairns was determined to make an impact in 2024.
In our interview, the 32-year-old Australian reveals her inspiring journey — from her frustrations as a professional dancer to discovering CrossFit and emerging as a role model in the adaptive community.
Cairns also shares how transforming her mindset around her disability empowered her to embrace her body and all the amazing things she can do.
- Remind Me: WheelWOD took over the Adaptive CrossFit season this year, culminating in the 2024 Adaptive CrossFit Games, which were held in San Antonio, TX, on Sept. 19. Here, CrossFit’s best adaptive athletes competed for the Fittest on Earth title across 15 adaptive divisions.
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Q&A With Emily Cairns
Note: These questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity and flow.
Morning Chalk Up: Congrats on your Fittest on Earth title. Has it sunk in yet?
Emily Cairns: I’ve worn my medal every day.
MCU: Was this your first CrossFit Games?
EC: Yes. Last year, I missed out by one place; I finished sixth. I honestly think it’s the worst place to finish. I think I would have rather been 10th. After that, I was definitely like, “Right, I need to get stronger, and I need to get better for next year.”
MCU: How was your experience competing at the Adaptive CrossFit Games?
EC: Originally, I was disappointed that it was all split up and it wasn’t going to be just the Games with everyone: the Adaptives, the Masters, and Teams. But after being to the Games and it was Adaptive, I think it actually was a really positive experience. I think if we had been with everyone else, we would have been pushed to the side a bit. Whereas it was just about the adaptives and we had a lot more attention, and I think it was great. It was a really positive experience. So I take back my disappointment because I think what they did was actually really good. It was so much fun.
MCU: What was it like to be around so many amazing athletes at the Adaptive CrossFit Games?
EC: It was the best. The Adaptive Games are the coolest thing ever because everyone has something. It’s not like a normal competition where everyone is super competitive. There’s competition, but everyone is rooting for everyone. Everyone wants to see everyone do well, and it’s so nice. It was very cool seeing how everyone adapted things and how they figured it out. It’s definitely inspiring to see.
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MCU: What support crew did you have with you at the Adaptive CrossFit Games?
EC: My coach Jason [Walker] came, and it was amazing having him there. He’s so knowledgeable. There were a few Aussies there without coaches, and he was helping them. Seeing that was really nice.
MCU: What’s your disability?
EC: My disability was diagnosed as Erb Palsy when I was a baby. But my disability is very different from most people with Erb Palsy. [Most people have a] brachial plexus injury that leads to mobility issues, but mine was in the womb as opposed to during birth.
My whole arm was squashed in the womb, so it didn’t develop as I was growing. So I’m actually missing tendons in my hand and my bones are fused together. I’m missing a bone in my wrist and a couple of them are fused, and I just don’t have certain tendons. I have zero extension in my wrist. And my thumb doesn’t work.
MCU: Can you explain your Upper Impairment 1 Point of Contact division?
EC: In the 1 Point [division], we’re only allowed to use one point of contact for everything. Whereas in the 2 Point [division], they can do whatever they want. If they want to use two points, they can; if they want to use one point, they can.
When I went for my classification, they said to me that you’re a really hard case because you fit into both. I can pull with two hands, but I can’t push with two hands. [I can do pull-ups] with two hands, but if there is any barbell work, I have to use one because my wrist can’t handle the load on the barbell.
MCU: Growing up, did you have any role models with a similar disability to you?
EC: When I was growing up, I didn’t really have any role models who had a disability at all. I was ashamed, I was embarrassed with my arm, and I hated doing anything when people could see it. I would hide it. If you look back at photos, I’m hiding it in every single photo because I was ashamed of it.
I don’t think I got over it until I was 29; I’m 32 now. It took so long. And I think now that I’m on the other side of that, I just don’t want other people to feel like that. It’s horrible feeling like you’re not good enough and being embarrassed all the time about something you can’t help.
MCU: How important do you think it is for kids and other adults with disabilities to have role models like yourself?
EC: I do feel a responsibility, and I want people to realize that it’s OK. It doesn’t make you less of a person because you’ve got some sort of disability. You can still do everything, and you can do cool sh*t. I think that my favorite part about posting [on social media] is getting in contact with people who have similar things and being that role model for them because I wish I had that when I was younger.
MCU: What’s your athletic background?
EC: I danced growing up. That was my thing. All I wanted to do was dance. And then I thought I was going to be able to dance professionally, but it wasn’t until I started applying for jobs and kept getting rejected at the last minute. After about two years of trying to get a job, someone was like, “Hey, just so you know, you’ll never get a job with your arm.”
That would have been nice to know before I put everything into this. That was a bit soul-crushing. But then I started teaching dance, which I love.
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MCU: How did you discover CrossFit?
EC: I love fitness, so I did a personal training course, and then I met another coach, George Winston, at the personal training course. He’s Grace Walton’s weightlifting coach. He’s very good and he suggested that I try CrossFit.
MCU: What’s your plan for the offseason now?
EC: I might have a couple of weeks of chill. Train whenever I want and not have a structure. And then, after a couple of weeks, it’s going to be strength [training] [to] try and get as strong as possible before next year. And get better at running. That can be next year’s job.
MCU: What can we expect from Emily Cairns in 2025?
EC: I’m hoping to go to 2 Point [classification] next year, because it is more fun. You get to do muscle-ups. I want to do muscle-ups. But in saying that, the barbell work is heavy.
The Bottom Line
Cairns’ grit and determination to improve her own athleticism while inspiring and supporting other adaptive athletes is remarkable. Her story highlights how much we can all learn from our adaptive athletes.
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Featured image: @domos.media / Instagram
