2022 CrossFit Games: Hong Kong athlete’s incredible sacrifices pay off, finishes second in age group
- Leigh Coates leaves Hong Kong and her family for five months, to pursue the dream of competing at the CrossFit Games
- The sacrifice focuses her effort and lands her on the podium at the CrossFit Games 55-59 category
Leigh Coates took a tough and difficult decision to chase her dream of competing at the CrossFit Games, but it was one that paid off for the Hong Kong-based Briton, who finished second in the 55-59 year old division.
Gym closures in Hong Kong because of Covid-19 restrictions meant Coates could not train in the city. So, she moved to Dubai for five months with her coach Ant Haynes, who was also chasing a spot at the Games.
“Leaving everyone for that amount of time, and not knowing how long it would be, it was mentally very demanding for me and my family as well,” Coates said.
“The highs and lows were very extreme, when I left Hong Kong, they said they weren’t sure if they’d see me again until I made the Games.”
Coates put her hair and beauty business on hold, and missed her daughter’s 18th birthday, and her high school graduation.
“She was great and very supportive and behind me 100 per cent. She was never talking about how I wasn’t going to be there,” Coates said. “But for me as a mother, she was leaving school, leaving her friends, they were going all around the world for university, it was a massive thing, missing out on being a support system for her.”
