“I loved (CrossFit) from the get-go. I just loved how there were always so many new things, so many things to learn, you were just constantly trying to get better and improve.”

On this episode of “More Than Fitness” with host Adrian Conway, four-time CrossFit Games athlete Maddie Sturt discusses her evolution in CrossFit, becoming a plant-based eater, and how her training has changed over the years.

Encouraged by her mom, Sturt, an Australian native, was about 13 when she started CrossFit. She officially signed up for her first Open in 2011 and has competed every year since. She was 17 when she qualified for her first Regional competition — 2014 — and qualified for her first CrossFit Games in 2016 at 19 years old.

Sturt opens up about her growth and maturation through the sport, highlighting how her training has evolved, lessons she’s learned along the way — especially as a young Games athlete — and how to balance internal and external expectations.

Sturt also shares how she is preparing for the 2023 season — under the tutelage of well-known and revered coach, athlete, and affiliate owner Rob Forte — her goals for the year, and how choosing a plant-based diet has affected her training and recovery.

Also in the episode, find out how Sturt felt about seven minutes of burpees in Open Workout 12.1, how she manages competing, work, and school, and the mark she wants to have in CrossFit.