CrossFit's 69‑year rookie
A 69‑year‑old from Mt. View is competing in the CrossFit Games Quarterfinals — a reminder that the sport’s competitive ladder is getting more age-inclusive. Quarterfinal programming pushed athletes through brutal WODs this week (deadlifts, hang power cleans, shoulder-to-overhead, back squats, calorie bike; and separate workouts with rowing, power clean & jerks and strict HSPUs under a 20‑minute cap). (hawaiitribune-herald.com) (crossfitmtjuliet.com) (crossfitforte.com)
Patricia Hubner, 69, of Mountain View qualified for the CrossFit Games Quarterfinals after six months of training at CrossFit Hilo Iron Gym. (hawaiitribune-herald.com) In her Quarterfinal heat Hubner completed a 20‑rep front squat with a 55‑pound barbell while gym owner Charmelei “Charmie” Bence tallied her reps. (hawaiitribune-herald.com) Hubner told reporters she started attending the gym three days after her father’s death last August and scaled up to five gym sessions per week in the months that followed. (hawaiitribune-herald.com) Her decision to begin CrossFit followed a string of health events — including a heart attack, kidney stones and surgery to remove a grapefruit‑sized ovarian cyst that led to a hysterectomy — which she said motivated her to rebuild strength. (hawaiitribune-herald.com) CrossFit released the Quarterfinal workouts March 23 and the Quarterfinals window ran March 26–30; all scores had to be submitted and validated by affiliate managers by the close of competition on March 30 (12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET). (crossfit.com) Quarterfinal age‑group prescriptions for Masters 65+ include a 55‑pound front‑squat option in several workouts — the same load Hubner used in competition — meaning she competed under the 65+ masters standards. (wodprep.com) Athletes in the Quarterfinals were required to complete workouts at a CrossFit affiliate and to use a judge who passed the 2026 Judges Course or holds an Advanced Judges Course certificate for score validation. (crossfit.com)
