Elise McClintic wins world championship, qualifies for Team USA
By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV
In 2028, obstacle course racing (OCR) will be added as an Olympic Sport when the summer games head to Los Angeles, California.
The first qualifying event to be part of Team USA was held in October in Dalton, Georgia. Organized by Phoenix Racing, it’s called the USA OCR National Championship. And Greenbrier County resident Elise McClintic won the women’s 15K race, earning her the first qualifying spot to be on Team USA in the World Championships next year.
National Champion
“It was exciting,” McClintic shared with RealWV afterwards. “I didn’t even know it was a stepping stone to qualify for the national team when I signed up.”
Her friend, Kris Swofford, invited her to the race.
“She wanted me to do this race with her,” McClintic says with a chuckle. “I really didn’t have any intention to do well.”
OCR is a race with obstacles along the way. Competitors must race a certain distance and stop along the way to complete tasks such as rope climbs, slant walls, and hurdles. Once you complete an obstacle, you can continue running your race. If you can’t complete the obstacle, you are either penalized for time or must run an additional length as a penalty.
McClintic is a decorated athlete whose strength is running. She competes in Crossfit and Spartan Races.
According to Phoenix OCR commentators on the livestream of the National Championships, she was not a known entity coming into the race. They said that other competitors had much more experience with the obstacles than she did, but the strength and speed of her running ability was able to overcome that.
“They were pretty surprised with how strong my running was,” McClintic said. “I think I surprised a lot of people with me not being a traditional runner coming from a Crossfit background.”
“Maybe it was good not having any pressure,” she conceded.
The Olympics
With OCR becoming an Olympic sport at the next summer games in 2028, McClintic has claimed the first qualifying spot for those hoping to make the team.
That opportunity comes in Sweden in October 2025, where she will be part of Team USA.
“Totally unexpected,” she said of the trip which is not on her calendar. “I’ve never been to Sweden.”
What are her chances to make the Olympic OCR team?
“Oh I don’t have a chance,” she said matter-of-factly. “I’m not quite as proficient in the obstacles as others are. The girl who finished first in the 3K is very strong in obstacles. They were able to get through the course clean without missing obstacles, where I was not.”
McClintic expects the format of the world championship in Sweden next year to be slightly different. She will have to complete all the obstacles rather than taking the penalty and making up time via her running ability. But the OCR has caught a glimpse of her skill and determination, and her competitive spirit runs deep.
She says her training regiment won’t change much right now, but may come next year.
“Once March/April hits, I may start doing some more obstacle and grip strength training,” she said. “Right now, I’m building up my lower body strength.”
She plans to continue competing in Crossfit and Spartan races before heading to Sweden for the OCR World Championships in September 2025.
The Spartan World Championships will be in her backyard in Fayette County, WV, but she may have to miss that to travel for Team USA.
“That’s huge for our area to have the world championships here,” she observed. “Obstacle course racing is a great sport that people are just starting to learn about.”
For more information on OCR, visit the USA OCR website.
