Before she ever chased rankings or personal records, Morgan Locklear was just a 12-year-old girl who didn’t want to quit. A back injury halted her gymnastics path, but stepping into CrossFit 4042 — the gym her mother now owns — opened the door to a sport that would shape her into a determined competitor.
Hesitant at first, she quickly found herself drawn to the challenge, community and variety that CrossFit offered.
“I didn’t like it at first, but it grew on me very fast,” she said.
Growing up in the gym surrounded by other athletes gave her early insight into the dedication and perseverance needed to succeed, laying the foundation for her future as a competitive athlete.
Today, at 21, Locklear is a CrossFit competitor with a reputation for determination and persistence. She finished 16th in the world in her age group in the 2022 CrossFit Games Semi-Finals, and has participated in the quarterfinals five times, earning a variety of rankings along the way.
Her success is rooted not only in strength but in mindset, resilience and the willingness to push herself through both physical and mental challenges.
“What I love about CrossFit is you can never be amazing at everything,” she said. “There is always something you can improve on or something you don’t know how to do yet. There are so many different movements that you cannot be the best at all of them.”
That mindset has shaped her approach to training and competition, motivating her to embrace challenges and continually strive for growth.
Locklear’s strength as a young athlete is undeniable — she regularly lifts weights that rival, and often exceed, those of the adult men training alongside her. Her favorite lifts are the overhead squat and the snatch, and she has personal bests of a 225-pound overhead squat, a 225-pound clean and jerk, a 225-pound bench press and a 305-pound back squat. She also excels at gymnastic movements within the sport such as muscle-ups and hand-stand walks.
Yet even with such accomplishments, she emphasizes the importance of balance.
“I want people to know that I love CrossFit, but I also love balance,” she said. “You can’t make your whole life CrossFit. You do CrossFit and it’s super fun and amazing, but I also will go to my friend’s birthday and eat the cake or have a cookie on a random day because I was craving it.”
Her advice to others is simple but powerful: “Just show up! When you don’t feel like doing it or you had a rough day, show up anyway. You’ll always feel better after. And surround yourself with like-minded people. Doing anything alone makes it 10 times harder.”
For Locklear, community has always been central. Training and now coaching others in her mother’s gym, alongside peers who pushed and inspired her, helped shape her dedication and love for the sport.
Looking ahead, Locklear plans to maintain her skills, continue enjoying CrossFit and compete selectively in events that excite her.
“I’ll hustle, keep pushing in the gym and have fun with it,” she said.
Morgan Locklear’s story is one of persistence, passion and perspective. From reluctantly stepping onto the CrossFit floor as a pre-teen to competing among the world’s best, she has built a career rooted in both physical strength and mental determination.
She is a reminder that success is not only about personal records or rankings, but also about showing up, embracing challenges and enjoying the journey — with family, friends and community alongside you.
