Jenn Ryan – 2022 CrossFit Games Masters Athlete
Meet Jenn Ryan, one of our Invictus Masters Athletes competing in The 2022 CrossFit Games.
If you’ve followed Invictus for the past seven years, you’ve heard the name Jenn Ryan. The team superstar turned individual Masters athlete is five feet and two inches of pure power, strength, and heart. At forty-something years young, what we’ve seen so far from her performances on the competition floor is just the start of what will surely be a career that will go down in history when it comes to Masters athletes.
In 2017, Jenn qualified for Games in the 35-39 age division. She declined her invitation and went on to earn 6th place as a member of Team Invictus. In 2018, she qualified as a Masters individual again…and declined again to help Team Invictus.
After her debut year in the Masters division in 2019, finishing 8th overall in the 35-39 age group, Jenn had her sights set on 2020 where she would age into the 40-44 age group. She placed 3rd overall in the October Open just a few weeks after her appendectomy and then went on to win the Age Group Online Qualifier. She knew where she had to work on her weaknesses and was honing them in. Then, a global pandemic hit.
As gyms shut down, the Olympics were postponed, and international travel blocked, CrossFit HQ made the unprecedented decision to move the Games back to Aromas and cancel all divisions except the individual division, which would be cut to just 30 athletes. Many Masters and Teens were devastated at the announcement, feeling all their hard work was for naught. Jenn on the other hand, was business as usual. It’s this unflappable mindset that is part of what makes Jenn such a phenomenal competitor. The ability to handle setbacks and disappointments and move forward without missing a step. She set her sights on the Masters Fitness Collective…which she won.
With or without the CrossFit Games this woman is a champion! She epitomizes the work ethic, team spirit, and consistency any coach, friend or employer could ask for. Her first place finish in the 40-44 division at the 2020 MFC is a result of years of incredible work and constant improvement. Jenn was definitely our 2020 season champion!
At this year’s Age Group Online Qualifiers, Jenn placed in the top four in 3 out of 5 events and we watched her execute her way into a 2nd place finish in her division. Even with those three events, we could argue that her best event wasn’t even her best finish. The rower heavily dominated the final event and could have been a smaller athlete’s nightmare. Staying dedicated to her pacing, Jenn proved that all the hard work she’s put in on that machine has turned what may have been a weakness into a strength.
From changing her mindset to attacking her weakness, Jenn Ryan has set herself up to be a force to be reckoned with at the 2022 CrossFit Games and we’re looking forward to watching Jenn crush it in her 40-44 age division!
Invictus Masters Program
Learn more about the Invictus Masters program and our line-up of Invictus Athlete online programs!
