With small stature

Styrian is in the final of the Crossfit Games in Texas

One-legged box jumps are part of Wallner's training.(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Matthias Wallner is the first Austrian of small stature in history to qualify for the world championships of the "Adaptive Crossfit Games" in San Antonio. Five years ago, he discovered this diverse sport for himself - today, at 144 centimetres tall, he does squats weighing 155 kilograms.

"I was a sports enthusiast from an early age," says Matthias Wallner. Soccer was his first passion - but at some point he had to give it up because of his size. The 33-year-old from the south-eastern Styrian village of Dietersdorf am Gnasbach is small in stature. His current success shows that this has not stopped him from pursuing a career in sport: Wallner made it to the final of the "Adaptive Crossfit Games" in San Antonio, Texas.

Matthias Wallner moves a maximum weight of 155 kilograms during squats.(Bild: Sepp Pail)

But right from the start. "Five years ago, I found something completely new with Crossfit," says Wallner. The combination of gymnastics, endurance, strength and athleticism fascinated him. He found his role models on social media - and finally found the right trainers at the gym near Unterschwarza. "The team spirit is extremely strong, everyone motivates each other," explains Wallner.

First Austrian in the final
The 33-year-old now trains at the gym five times a week - each session lasts around two hours. All this in addition to his work as a chef and playing drums in the Dietersdorf village band. At 144 centimetres tall, he lifts a whopping 155 kilograms doing squats. But the hard training paid off: Wallner is the first Austrian of small stature to qualify for the final of the "Adaptive Crossfit Games".

Matthias Wallner and his team are already practising their victory celebrations.(Bild: Privat)

His coach Mateja Martinšek gave him the idea of entering a competition for people with physical disabilities. He fought his way through the pre-qualifiers and semi-finals to reach the top ten. At the world championships in Texas, he has to prove himself in seven competitions in front of spectators - "it's really tough, you have to manage your strength," says Wallner.

In addition to his coach, his sister, brother-in-law and cousin have also come to America. "My goal is to finish in the top five - the rest is on top," said Wallner before his departure. Although this is his first competition with an audience, the 33-year-old already has bigger ambitions: "Next year I want to take part in regular competitions in Austria."