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Jul 30, 2014

FITTEST WOMAN ON EARTH: CAMILLE LEBLANC-BAZINET, 2014 CROSSFIT GAMES CHAMPION

Ever wonder what it’s like to be the Fittest Woman on Earth? Well we are going to tell you all about Camille Leblanc-Bazinet, the Canadian woman who has claimed this title at last weekend’s 2014 Crossfit Games.

Camille Leblanc-Bazinet is one of the world’s top CrossFit athletes. She has been a competitive athlete her entire life. She did high-level gymnastics for 14 years, starting at age two and retiring at age sixteen.  We recently caught up with Camille just before the Crossfit Games, and she told us all about training, being a student, and some of her biggest challenges as an athlete.

CrossfitGamesChampion

PPLA: How did you first get into Crossfit?

CL: I had hurt my hips at one point in gymnastics and after trying every other sport there is I got introduced to Crossfit… and that was it! I loved it and really enjoy the challenge. I have been doing Crossfit for over five years now.

PPLA: How many times have you been to the Games?

CL: This will be my 5th year; I have been every year since my 1st year getting into Crossfit.

PPLA: What do you think your biggest challenge is as an athlete?

CL: I think my biggest challenge is motivation. Anyone can go into the gym and train, but it’s really hard to go and train at your max capacity every day. I don’t mind having obstacles in my way; it’s over coming those obstacles and hurdles that your body faces that is the biggest challenge.

PPLA: What does your schedule look like from day to day?

CL: Right now while I’m training for the Games, I am taking five classes this summer.  I wake up; I eat, study, train, go to class and repeat. Eat, study, train until I go to sleep for the night. I basically have no personal life.

PPLA: I’m always curious to know what other crossfitters (yes I do Crossfit too!) carry in their gym bags. Can you tell us what is inside yours?

CL: Luckily I am sponsored by Fitmark bags and their bags are amazing! They literally have a compartment for everything. Normally I have my clean or dirty gym clothes depending on what time of the day it is, and in the next pocket I have all my school books. Thankfully those items don’t have to touch each other. Amoung other things, I usually have my laptop, some food, lifting shoes & lifting belt. These bags can literally fit everything you need for your day in them.

PPLA: Everyone is always wanting to know what a crossfitters diet looks like? Do you follow anything specific such as Paleo?

CL: When I’m getting ready for a competition or training really hard, I follow this diet called Zone. It’s simply making sure I have enough carbohydrates, protein, and fats in my day. Typically I eat up to 15-20 times a day and that’s a lot of food,  but I always eat very clean.

PPLA: Do you look up to any other athletes now and did you have any prior knowledge of your competitors going into Crossfit?

CL: People always laugh at me becuase I went into Crossfit not knowing who anyone was and how they performed. Right now I look up to many athletes, a lot of them have different strengths-  some are very driven, some are very strict athletes. I try to take the good qualities from them and make myself a better athlete.

PPLA: If you could give anyone that’s never done Crossfit some advice, what would you tell them?

CL: Just go to a Crossfit gym and try it! It’s such a great community, everything else seems to fall into place.

PPLA: What is your favorite lift?

CL: I love the snatch; it’s such a technical movement that once you master it there is so much work that needs to be put into it that it gives you no choice but to love it.

PPLA: What is your mindset going into the Games?

CL: There really is no strategy, just apply everything I’ve worked on all year long.

It’s seems to have been the perfect strategy for her: go in and just do what you love. She told me she feels so lucky to have such a great group of people around her, that have help her become the athlete that she is.CrossfitGames_Camille_LeBlancBazinet

Now that the Games are over Camille plans to finish studying like a crazy person because all her college finals are this week! Maybe her professors will understand…I mean after all, she is the 2014 Reebok Crossfit Games Champion! That sure is one hell of a title. We will be looking out for Camille next year to see if this 25-year old elite athlete can make it a repeat.

Visit Games.crossfit.com

Check out Camille’s favorite gym bag by Fitmark.