Sudbury man to make CrossFit history

An athlete from Sudbury will be the first Ontarian to compete in a newly created 70-and-older division in the Masters CrossFit Games in Birmingham, Ala., next week.

At age 74, David Parks is no stranger to being an athlete, having played both varsity and professional hockey in his younger years.

“I was active, playing hockey, then I played baseball, played football, played tennis, played squash, did some whitewater kayaking, skiing," Parks said.

"Downhill, both. And cross-country. Just, I've just always been that kind of a person.”

He was introduced to CrossFit five years ago and said his first CrossFit Open competition didn’t go as well as he thought it would.

“I think I finished like 977th and, I thought, OK, I've got some work to do,” Parks said.

This year at the semi-finals, the last stage before the Masters CrossFit Games, Parks placed eighth in his age category, which he said he accomplished by training 20 hours per week at True North Athletic Centre.

His coach, Brad Hogue, said Parks put in the work to get better.

“(I) describe Dave as confident," Hogue said.

At age 74, David Parks is no stranger to being an athlete, having played both varsity and professional hockey in his younger years.

"He's definitely driven and very humble. I think that's, obviously, what makes a good cross-fitter. I think for him to be able to, you know, participate with the community, have fun and kind of make this something that he enjoys competing in -- it's very important to have those, those traits.”

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Parks is one of just two Canadians to qualify among the Top 10 male athletes worldwide for his age group.

“Just having achieved this far, just getting to go to the games is, it's actually my main achievement," he said.

"Or, you know, what I would have ever hoped for, anything from here on in is a bonus.”

In the last year, the gym has sent athletes to multiple competitions around North America, managing to podium in 80 per cent of them.

The Masters CrossFit Games goes Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.