Fresh off his fourth-place finish at the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games, Sam has become an HWPO athlete heading into the 2023 season. He joins Mal O’Brien and Jayson Hopper, as well as three other Games veterans—Katrin Davidsdottir, Thuridur Helgadottir and Amanda Barnhart—on the growing HWPO team, and looks to carry forward the momentum from a strong 2022 finish. Sam has consistently used AIRWAAV both in training and in competition, and joined the team as an official AIRWAAV Athlete in September 2022.
Questions:
When did you start functional fitness training and why?
I did cross country back in high school and was always strong as a kid and there was a family friend that suggested I go try it because it had a good base. I went in for a workout and was hooked.
Who and/or what has been your biggest source of motivation during your incredible comeback in 2022?
Definitely my wife and my son. Just knowing they believe in me is very motivating. Knowing my potential and what I had to do to get back to what I was doing before because it was obviously working and knew I would succeed.
What was your favorite event at the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games?
Event 7: up and over. Normally for a workout like this I wouldn’t have placed as high as I did and after that event I knew all the work I had done in the off-season working on weaknesses had paid off.
What is your athletic background and how has it helped you become the elite athlete you are today?
Cross country definitely helped a bit but not a ton. It was mostly hard work and dedication to get to where I am. I was always an athletic kid but I was so young when I started CrossFit I basically had to start from scratch.
When were you first introduced to AIRWAAV and how long have you been using the performance mouthpiece?
I was first introduced in January of 2022 and I haven’t done a workout without it since. My lifting has been a ton better from the first time I used it that’s pretty much why I haven’t stopped.
What do you enjoy most about training and competing with AIRWAAV?
From the very first workout I used it I was hooked. I haven’t done a workout without it since. It forces your tongue to stay down and get the most oxygen as you can and obviously that is important in our sport. It just doesn’t feel right without it anymore.