Could Griffith become the kettlebells capital of Australia?
Bellistic - CrossFit 2680 owner/coach Sharyn Millis likes to think it can.
And going by the weekend’s results at the 2017 Girevoy Sport Australia Association (GSAA) NSW Regional Championship in Griffith, the town is on the right track.
Griffith now has four athletes with an international class rank in the sport.
To achieve a rank, a competitor must rack up a certain amount of reps in their event and getting one is a pretty big deal.
“Any ranking is a feather in your cap,” Millis said.
“It’s like an honour to get it because not everyone will always achieve rank – it’s something to aspire to.”
Seasoned campaigner Millis regained her rank along with Greg Borger – who had a crack at long cycle for the first time – at the event.
The new kids on the ranking blocks are Travis Millis and Darrell Wallace who both gained ranks for the first time in, impressively, their first ever competitive event.
“It’s not often you'll get someone who competes for the first time to get a rank so for two of our guys who have never competed before to get a rank was very impressive,” Millis said.
“One was my hubby [Travis], he was the darkhorse entry – no one knew he’d been training.
“It was awesome, he trains at home and I was even surprised how much his technique had improved.
“And Darrell, he just skyrocketed with the numbers, he just kept going. He should have gone a heavier bell, he just made it look easy.”
The Griffith competitors now have their eyes set on the Arnold Classic in Melbourne on March 17-19.
Millis will compete for the first time knowing she placed first in the world in 2016 in the 20-kilogram biathlon while it will be a first time competing at the Arnold Classic for a number of the Griffith athletes.
The classic will be just one stop on a busy schedule.
Other stops the Victorian State Titles in July at Bendigo and the nationals in August at Albury and the numbers heading along to the events excites Millis.
“Now we have a few more guys interested in it, knowing they can go higher with it – I definitely think we can grow it [kettlebells],” Millis said.
