Strong is the new sexy
As long as you are happy, any size is the right size for you.
Chrystalle Omaga isn’t your typical beauty queen. This Canadian Miss Universe is a super athlete who has represented her country in football and basketball and is now trying her hand at Obstacle Course Racing (OCR).
Chrystalle hopes to help propel the awareness and development of OCR through her exploits here and abroad.
Philippine STAR: Who introduced you to OCR? CHRYSTALLE OMAGA: I first heard about OCR racing from my boyfriend. He thought it would be a fun, new sport to try since the sport combined both strength (which he loved) and running (which I loved) in one race. Our friend gave us free passes to try a race and we’ve been hooked ever since!
Was it easy to shed the beauty queen image and get into the rough-and-tumble world of OCR?
I want to break this stereotype that whispers through the beauty queen and modeling industries. You can attain your ideal perception of physical beauty by eating abundantly and exercising for health purposes, not by getting artificial body enhancements. We should appreciate and love our authentic body for what it is and not get too caught up with how others see you or by comparing yourself to social media pictures of others’ bodies. As long as you are happy, strong is the new sexy; any size is the right size for you.
What are the competitions you have lined up for this year?
I am currently competing to qualify for the Spartan World Championships in the US. There are four races throughout this year across Asia that I need to place in order to qualify for the US. We have completed three races already in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. Due to new rulings of the SEA games, my Philippine passport may not come on time to compete for this SEA Games. The OCR community aims to get the Philippines on the international map as a competitor in the sport.
How do Filipino athletes fare with their Asian counterparts?
The Philippines is very young in this sport and already making a name within Asia as a competitor. We have an amazing community here to develop athletes to make a mark in the world with a high-class facility and an endless curiosity of fitness enthusiasts becoming aware of the sport. I think in the next few years we can surely make a statement in the world.
What can be done to further promote OCR?
We are developing new obstacle course racing events for all fitness levels and fitness enthusiasts, such as The FrontRow Warrior Race that happened on June 23. Stay tuned for the next upcoming Warrior Race happening at the end of this year.
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