Emma Cary is a 17 year old athlete from Marshfield, Missouri. She was first introduced to functional fitness at 10 years old in May 2014. In 2021, Emma showed her true athletic ability in line with the fittest women in the world by becoming the youngest athlete to qualify for The Games as an individual since 2009. 

At the 2021 Open, she secured the fastest time in 21.2’s dumbbell snatch and burpee box jump-over workout and showcased her incredible speed as she finished in 8:51. This time was 30 seconds faster than the second place finisher, and Emma did this at only 16 years old. After her impressive Open performance, Emma finished 4th in the Individual Quarterfinal, 3rd in the Semifinal, and 16th overall in The Games. 

Questions:

Who do you look up to as one of the younger participants in The Games?

"I’m inspired by every athlete at the Games, because we’ve all overcome adversity and we’re not afraid of hard things" 

What advice would you give to other young functional fitness enthusiasts?

"Know that progress is never linear and adversity is inevitable. You don’t get better when you’re comfortable, so find joy in the struggle! Know your why and love your journey through the many highs and lows"

Who or what would you say provides you with the most motivation to succeed?

"I want to see how good I can become. I want to find every piece of greatness I have in myself. I want to control everything I can to use everything I have. I will never settle for anything less than my best"

How have you most grown as an athlete and competitor over the last year?

"I’ve learned to be a smart, adaptable, resilient, and confident competitor. It’s not enough to be hungry and driven when you don’t know how to use it well. I’ve learned how to maximize my performance, whether or not things go as I had planned"

What do you enjoy most about training with AIRWAAV?

"When I wear my AIRWAAV, I enjoy how much faster I can recover during the workout! I feel an amazing difference in my breath control, and that makes all the difference when it’s time to finish strong"