A TEACHER from Wycombe is celebrating after taking a top ten world ranking spot at a fitness competition in America.

Wycombe High School PE teacher, Maddy Harris, was part of a three-woman team that came eighth in the TYR Wodapalooza Competition, held in Miami, Florida. 

Maddy said: “We are really pleased with the result.  The top thirty teams in the world were invited to compete at Wodapalooza and we were the only all-British team.  

“Over the weekend, all three of us had to complete a set amount of fitness challenges. It is tough and gruelling not least because we were not told the challenges beforehand. 

"So, we flew out there and had to practice for any eventuality - any workout that could come our way.  

"There were workouts that require maximum weight-lifting movement, one of our workouts was a swim into a run and we had to do that as quickly as possible, we had lots of gymnastic movements, so a lot of walking on our hands, climbing ropes - and we had to do it all as part of a team to get the best scores, weights, times that we possibly could."  

Despite doing so well in Miami, there is no break for Maddy, from her punishing training schedule.

She is already in training to qualify for the World CrossFit Games in August,  as part of the British team, and her first qualifying round is next month.

“I train before and after school, on a school day, which is getting up at 5.30 am and spending an hour or two in the gym. And then, after school, I do another hour or two, again, in any sort of disciplines within that sport – that could be weight-lifting, cardio or gymnastic-based movements.

"It's tough but I do enjoy it. And results like the one in Miami make it all worthwhile".

Wycombe High School Headteacher Nicola Renyard said: “Well done and many congratulations, Miss Harris.

"What a fantastic achievement and such an inspiration for all the students here at Wycombe High".