Top Tulsa Athletes Compete In 2019 CrossFit Games

Two of the top athletes in the world live in Tulsa and are competing right now at the 2019 CrossFit Games.

It's where the best of the best are pushed to the max on a global stage.

"I fell in love with CrossFit because it is always different," said Tulsa competitor Brooke Wells. "You are never coming in and doing the exact same thing."

Wells is the 2nd fittest woman in America. She started CrossFit when she was in High School at Jenks. This is the 23-year-old's 5th time making it to Games.

"When I come to the gym and work out, I don't feel like I'm working. This doesn't feel like a job to me, so it's just something I love that happens to be my career also," Wells said.

Wells is a sponsored athlete with more than one million followers on Instagram. She's expected to do well on the barbell because her strength, is strength. It's also her weaknesses that fuel her fire.

"Some of the gymnastics movements are really challenging for me. Which is surprising since I was a gymnast," Wells said.

It's the same story for Oklahoma's fittest man, Zach Buntin. He's competing at the games for his first time.

"I'm probably the only guy that's a rookie going to the CrossFit games that has a veteran like her to work out with every day," Buntin said.

"It has been such a blast. This is the first year I've actually trained with someone who's going to the games," Wells said.

From the rings to the barbell, these two spend about three hours every day in the gym. It's what happens outside that takes their sport to a whole new level.

"We don't even know what we're doing when we get there," Wells said. "There are 15 workouts and we don't know a single one when we get there. We've been surprised with bike races, a thing called the peg board, all the swimming stuff, paddle boarding, you literally never know."

Training for the unknown, from the track to the turf.

"A lot of dedication," said Buntin. "A lot of time away from family. A lot of dedication, a lot of hard work."

"It's incredible to see his drive," said CrossFit T-Town owner Chad Smith. He said Buntin's drive is obvious when you look at his chalk covered hands and sweat-drenched clothes, but it's the mental determination that makes a champion.

"I definitely want to place high, that's my goal is to place high, top 5," Buntin said.

"The super trifecta would be they both win the games, first place, first place," Smith said. "That would be a dream come true for all of us."

"Every single year I hope I've gotten better at my weaknesses, and really doing better than I was last year," Wells said. "I can't worry about the other girls being better than me. I'm only focused on myself and that I'm getting better every year and improving."

"I think on days when I'm struggling in the gym or just not wanting to be here, it's things like that. Knowing that I could have an impact on someone else's life or inspire them to get in the gym and change their life around, that is really what keeps me going," Wells said.