World championship wins for Beth Whiting

Daylesford's Beth Whiting has returned from the World Kettlebell Sport Federation championships in Hungarywith a swag of medals.

Beth walked away with six medals - three gold, one silver and two bronze.

On her Integrate Fitness Facebook page Beth said the championships had been an incredible experience.

"To be a member of the Girevoy Sport Australia Association (GSAA) Australian Kettlebell team has been nothing short of amazing.

"To make the team is one thing. To be a part of this team is another. I am honoured to call each of these incredible humans my friends. We have shared the highs, the lows, tears, bloody hands, amazing experiences and so much more.

"On a personal note, I am so proud of what I have achieved in this competition.

"When my coach (Shannon Pigdon) asked me years ago what my goal was, to which I replied with a shrug 'to make the Australian team', I never quite understood the gravity of that statement. Whilst standing with him in the stadium it finally sunk in.

"I am a world class athlete and had just won gold at a world championship level. Standing on the podium alongside other insanely strong women had made the years of hard work to get here absolutely worth it."

Beth thanked her coach, her friends and family including her "rock", her husband Brett, the Australian crew and her Integrate Fitness family.

Beth told The Local back in early May, after qualifying for the world championships, that being good at kettlebells was all about a combination of mental and physical resilience and the ability to keep going, no matter how tough that going gets. In competition, once you start, you never, ever put a kettlebell down.

Competitions include single and double lifts and range from 10 minutes to half marathons of 30 minutes and full marathons of 60 minutes. The competitor’s weight, the weight of the kettlebell and repetitions completed all come into the winning equation.

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Contributed