Khan Porter takes Pandaland CrossFit Challenge in emotional win for Aussie who champions mental health awareness
- The CrossFit Games veteran has spoken openly about his battles with mental health over the years and worked at helping to erase the stigma
After winning the first ever Pandaland CrossFit Challenge and booking his ticket to the 2020 CrossFit Games in the process, Khan Porter let his emotions get the best of him – for all the right reasons.
The 30-year-old five-time CrossFit Games veteran woke up with a sore back and was considering pulling out of the competition. But as Porter has realised over the years, like so many people, regular and superstar CrossFit athletes alike, the biggest war is between the ears.
“I get inside my own head,” said the Australian native. “As long as I can remember and yeah my back was sore but I know once I get into the warm-up area before the competition everything feels sore.”
Porter said once the adrenaline started pumping and he felt the energy of the crowd, it all became secondary to the goal at hand: book his return to the Games as an individual after competing last year with Project X.
“I have a saying that I say to myself when I’m out there, ‘It’s just pain’.”