Meet Games Rookie Pedro Martins: Putting Medicine on Hold to Live his CrossFit Dream
Some athletes quietly shed a tear of happiness when their name gets announced and they realize they’re heading to the CrossFit Games. Others smile and embrace their coach or a loved one.
But not Pedro Martins. The 32-year-old Brazilian, who recently qualified for his first CrossFit Games through the CrossFit Copa Sur Semifinals, experienced arguably the most boisterous and memorable Games-bound celebration of the season.
The scene in Brazil: Before his name was announced, Martins sat quietly on the floor with the other competitors. Waiting.
Then it happened.
The announcer called his name and Martins was immediately circled by other athletes, who created a huddle and began jumping up and down together, smiling, cheering, celebrating Martins’ accomplishment in a beautiful scene that looked more like a team winning a championship than opponents embracing a fellow competitor.
“The moment of the announcement was spectacular. As soon as my name was spoken I was very happy. I was even happier with the best scene that has ever occurred to me during the sport: my friends and opponents jumping and hugging me, being happy for me,” Martins said.
“It was awesome.”
Not his first accomplishment: Not only can Martins now call himself a CrossFit Games athlete, an incredible accomplishment of its own, he’s also a medical doctor in Brazil.
After graduating from medical school in 2016, Martins began working as a general practitioner, although he intends to specialize, but hasn’t yet finished his residency “due to my dedication to the sport,” he explained.
For the next three years, Martins, who spent 15 years as a high level karate athlete, dedicated himself fully to his career in medicine.
“That was until I met CrossFit,” he said.
Lured in by the sport, he decided he wanted to get to the CrossFit Games and knew it would be a tough feat to achieve if he was working full-time as a doctor. So in 2019, he decided it was time to “dedicate myself to training all the time in order to get to the CrossFIt Games,” he said.
Three years later, Martins is finally Games bound and he intends to dedicate “a few more good years” to CrossFit, knowing his career in medicine will always be there to go back to.
“And I’m already studying for when it’s time to train less and be ready (to be a doctor),” he added.
But for now, Martins is all about CrossFit and couldn’t be happier about making the trip to Madison, WI in August.
“I want to get there and bring a lot of joy into the arena and be ready to deliver everything I have,” he said.
Get the Newsletter
For a daily digest of all things CrossFit. Community, Competitions, Athletes, Tips, Recipes, Deals and more.
"*" indicates required fields
