No matter how hard an athlete prepares, when it’s time to line up and watch the clock tick down, there’s bound to be some nerves. 

The stress of the performance can hit hard, and for some, it’s enough to prefer to sit on the sidelines and cheer.

That’s not the case for Australian adaptive athlete Jordan Cabrita. 

“Jordan embodies a rare trait, where he absolutely thrives in the competition environment — he loves a crowd, doesn’t experience performance anxiety, and knows how to enjoy the moment regardless of how he places in a workout,” his coach, exercise physiologist Sarah Bradley, tells the Morning Chalk Up in an interview.

Cabrita’s strength is his mindset — and after extensive training and help from his support system, he’s prepared to top the podium in the Intellectual Disability division at the 2024 Adaptive CrossFit Games. 

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Some Background

Cabrita, 26, spent his early years in and out of the hospital. He was diagnosed with Down syndrome when he was younger and also lives with a stoma. His parents were told that he would struggle to lead a normal life. 

Several years ago, Cabrita picked up CrossFit as a hobby, and it has become so much more than that for him and his family. 

“CrossFit allows a platform or equality —  that is all we can ask for. A space to grow and be accepted just as he is,” Cabrita’s mother, Danielle, says. 

Cabrita has had the opportunity to compete at the Torian Pro and the Down Under Championship (DUC), as they offer both adaptive and non-adaptive divisions.

“We love Torian and DUC and value the opportunity that he gets to throw down amongst his peers [and] heroes such as Khan [Porter], Royce [Dunn], James [Newbury], and in October, [Mat] Fraser,” Danielle says. “He doesn’t see himself as different from them; they are his friends, his mentors, and his community.”

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In addition to the support from his parents, Cabrita shares a very close bond with his brother, Jac, who serves as a mentor, advocate, and manager. With Jac’s hard work and advocacy, he has helped Cabrita build relationships with brands such as LSKD, True Protein, Frog Grips, and Again Faster. 

These partnerships and sponsorships allow Cabrita to commit more time to training as he edges closer to the 2024 Adaptive CrossFit Games. 

Cabrita’s Road to the 2024 Adaptive CrossFit Games 

Cabrita and his coach, Bradley, have worked together for the past year. The two formed a relationship after the 2023 Torian Pro, where she oversaw the adaptive division. 

Over the last 12 months, Bradley helped take Cabrita to the next level.

“In order to qualify for an opportunity at the Games, we needed to improve Jordan’s ability to perform mentally and physically at higher training zones/demands,” Bradley says. “We were able to secure a qualifying place by improving his endurance through V̇O₂ max and ventilatory threshold increases, improving skills previously causing inhibition [fear], adapting movements around Jordan’s co-morbid impairments, and providing local Adaptive competitions to familiarize the intensity and demands of the competition environment.”

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In addition to Bradley, Jordan also has a team of clinicians, coaches, and supporters — including local Crossfit coaches, dietitians, physical therapists, and medical specialists. Along with Bradley, they all “work together to provide an objectively informed holistic intervention.”

While Cabrita has participated in high-level events over the past several years, the Games will be his first international competition. 

“[He] remains positive and patient despite endless health complications,” Bradley says. “[He] has learned to listen to his body, can sustain triple the amount of work at much higher intensities, is more open to learning new skills, and has become such an integral part of the Adaptive Crossfit community in Oceania.” 

The Countdown Is On 

Cabrita’s mother says that there has been a shift this year as Jordan prepares for his biggest competition yet at the 2024 Adaptive CrossFit Games. 

“Jordan’s always been determined, but this last season, I saw his heart beating outside his chest. With grit and perseverance, he pushed limits and blew us out of the water with his determination to be better every day in small and big ways,” Danielle says.

“We don’t take this for granted — time is never promised and for Jordan to represent his country and (trailblaze), we hope most that it changes perceptions, (and) increases understanding and reduces the assumption that (his capacity is limited),” Danielle says. 

Cabrita has the unrelenting goal of becoming the Fittest Man on Earth in the Intellectual Disability division. 

At the end of the Adaptive Games, he looks to stand alongside friends and heroes Mat Fraser, James Newbury, and Kahn Porter, shoulder to shoulder, all of them Games champions. 

Cabrita will be competing at the Adaptive CrossFit Games by WheelWOD, which will be held September 19-23 in San Antonio, TX. The event will be live-streamed here.

Follow @teamjordancabrita to stay up-to-date on his progress, and look for his name on the leaderboard. 

Featured image: @thewodlife / Instagram 

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