Grayslake Central senior Adelyn J. was 9 years old when a coach at her parents’ CrossFit gym invited her to try weightlifting. Seven years later, she has competed at the Pan American Championships and World Championships with an even bigger goal in mind.
“The Olympics is my ultimate goal,” Adelyn said. She has her sights on 2032, recognizing that reaching that level will require years of continued development.
Behind those ambitions is a schedule that demands discipline. Adelyn trains five days a week for about three hours at a time, while balancing classes, homework, and travel that can sometimes take her out of school for a full week. She credits her teachers with supporting her as she keeps up with coursework between training and competitions.
Competing internationally can still feel surreal. Adelyn described standing in the warm-up area surrounded by elite athletes and realizing that she had earned a place on the same stage. When it’s time to compete, she gets to show the result of years of work.
But what people see on the competition stage or social media represents only a small part of that work. Training, recovery, and the choices she makes every day all contribute to those few moments in competition.
“You have to make the little choices that add up to the big accomplishments,” Adeline said.
For now, she continues making those choices with her eyes on 2032, one class, one training session and one competition at a time.