One of the brightest young stars in the CrossFit world calls Alaska home.
Rylan Kirby , who trains at CrossFit Iron Refined in Eagle River , turned heads this month with aout of over 1,000 entrants from across the world in his male 16-17 age group in the 2026 CrossFit Open, part of a virtual qualifying competition for the CrossFit Games.
It’s a laudable achievement already — made all the more so by the fact that the 17-year-old Kirby is just a year into his CrossFit career. “I’ve always been into working out, ever since I was little, like 10-ish,” he said. “So, I’ve always had a passion for it.” That passion got a chance to blossom after Kirby’s father advocated for his son to enter last year’s CrossFit open. “I got a call from his dad,” Kirby’s coach, Shelby Fields, recalled. “And he’s like, ‘My son’s really fit’ ... and I remember rolling my eyes being like, ‘Oh, this dad thinks his son is really fit.’ Like every dad obviously thinks their son is the best.” Despite her skepticism, she entered Kirby in the competition, and was blown away by his performance, a 133rd-place finish on debut.For Kirby, his headfirst dive into the CrossFit world has come with several benefits. “It makes me I think more disciplined,” he said of balancing his training regimen with homeschool classes and other commitments. “Because, working out so much, I have to make sure I’m not dillydallying throughout the day. I have to make sure I’m like ... when I have those chances to do school, I’m locked in and doing it.”“The people,” he said. “It’s so awesome. Everybody’s just so kind here. “They’re pretty much like family to me. So, it’s awesome to have them as support and stuff. It’s so sweet.” Kirby still had a few rungs to climb after his big win to secure a spot in the 2026 CrossFit Games in San Diego this summer, which serve as the de-facto Olympics of the sport. He placed sixth in the open quarterfinals shortly afterward. Kirby needs a top-20 semifinals finish to punch his ticket — something Fields says she has no doubt Kirby will do. Fields added that, to her knowledge, such an accomplishment would represent the first time an Alaskan has qualified for the Games. “I mean, these teens have been growing up in a CrossFit gym,” she said. “So, the fact that he in a year accomplished that is amazing.”
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