Sask. woman takes home gold on world stage at CrossFit Games

SASKATOON -

Laurie Meschishnick has worked her way up to the top of the podium.

The Saskatoon woman won gold for the second year in a row at the CrossFit Games in Wisconsin last month.

Meschishnick won gold in the 55 to 59 age division in 2019. After the 2020 games were cancelled due to the pandemic, she said she envisioned herself on the podium “over and over” while training for the 2021 title.

“It was amazing and I have to say it was probably my favourite CrossFit Games because it was very hard fought,” Meschishnick told CTV News.

She’s qualified for the CrossFit Games nine times and set two world records at the Masters World Weightlifting Championships.

Meschishnick started her CrossFit journey 11 years ago. The 57-year-old said more people enter her age category each year, allowing for more competition.

Her message to others is to always work on “being your best.”

Meschishnick said random people have even reached out to her on Instagram to say she’s inspired them to take up fitness.

“That is so humbling to me, to have one person come out and say that what I do inspired them to go to the gym and get their body moving. It’s so important.”

Laurie Meschisnick started her CrossFit journey 11 years ago. (Submitted)

She said she’s proud to represent Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Canada on an international level and credits that to a team of professionals who have helped her along the way.

“This year, I had a team of female business women from Saskatoon who actually sponsored me on the trip, to the games, on that journey for what we called our repeat gold year for Saskatoon and Saskatchewan,” Meschishnick said.

Tarra Hall is the owner of CrossFit Ashlar, where Meschishnick trains, and said she wasn’t surprised when she won gold.

“You should see the amount of work this lady puts in day in and day out. The dedication, her stubbornness to keep going no matter what really shines, and a lot of the membership look up to her for that same reason,” Hall said.

While Meschishnick is already back at the gym, she is resting and recovering before she starts to train for the 2022 CrossFit Games in hopes of keeping her place at the top. 

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