Lexi Neely embraces the different challenges in CrossFit competitions.
“I love pushing myself and getting better each day and seeing the progress over these last years on how much stronger and fitter I’ve gotten,” the Fishers resident said.
Neely will compete in the CrossFit Games Aug. 8-11 in Fort Worth, Texas. Neely, 21, will compete in the elite women’s division for the first time. She is coached by Carmel resident Chase Larrison, a Carmel police officer.
There are three stages to qualify. From the open tournament, the top 25 advance to the quarterfinals. Then the top 40 in each region move on to the semifinals. The open and quarterfinals are determined by a submitted video workout. From the region, the top 11 qualify for the CrossFit Games, based on a scoring system from the workouts. Neely finished 11th to get the final spot in the region May 31 to June 2 in Knoxville, Tenn. There were six workouts over the three days.
Larrison said most of the stages of the CrossFit Games will take place at Dickies Arena.
“But they’ve announced we’ll be outside (at night Aug. 9) in the Texas heat at a high school,” Larrison said. “There’s also a swimming event. There could be anywhere between 12 and 15 events. It’s way more volume and way more competition, because it’s the top 40 women from all over the world.”
Neely, a 2021 Hamilton Southeastern High School graduate, competed in the CrossFit Games in 2018 as a teenager. She qualified in 2020, but it was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“She is the first female from Indiana to qualify for the CrossFit Games in the open division, ages 18-35,” Larrison said. “There has only been one other (Indiana) male to do the same thing. We are considered the hardest region (North America East). Women who made it in the past from our region didn’t make it this year.”
Larrison said some of the workouts are strength-based, and some are cardio-based.
“It’s a mixture of everything. It can be swimming, running, bicycling, anything under the sun is what CrossFit encompasses,” Larrison said.
Neely, who majors in health care and business at Butler University, said her strengths are gymnastics and weightlifting. She has competed in CrossFit for 10 years. She previously competed in gymnastics.
Larrison, a 2010 Carmel High School graduate, owns Black Dog Fitness in Indianapolis. His wife, Mackenzie, serves as a fitness instructor.
“We have classes every day, and it’s all instructor-led,” Larrison said.
Neely serves as an instructor as well.
“Chase does all my programming and coaching,” Neely said. “All my training is around classes we do.”
Larrison said he works with Neely to train almost every day.
“It’s been a big learning experience for both of us,” he said. “It’s been a lot of work in and out of the gym, building that chemistry. I think she has a bright future in the sport.”
Larrison has served as Neely’s personal coach since January 2023. Neely has worked at Black Dog Fitness since it opened.
“He’s very direct and straightforward in his coaching, which is what I needed,” Neely said. “He’s there to support me and help me grow, but also make me better. We just try to keep pushing to get better and moving forward. Even when things are tough, he’s pushing me to move forward.”
Neely has to pay entry fees at each level, including $400 for the CrossFit Games, so they have been doing fundraisers to help defray the cost.
“It’s an expensive sport from that standpoint,” Larrison said.
