South Fayette business owner ready to compete in 2020 Olympics

Anna Tobias of Avella won the 2008 Olympic Gold medal in Laser Radial Sailing and, on Feb. 9, from 5-8 p.m., her friends will be holding a fundraiser aimed towards her quest again for the gold at the upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The location will be T2 CrossFit, her business, at 91 Southpointe Drive, South Fayette.

Tickets are $40 and will include food, drinks, live music, a meet-and-greet, raffles and photo opportunities with Anna and her fellow Olympian sailing partner, Paris Henken.

Tobias owns T2 CrossFit with her husband, Brad Tobias (a Marine and Iraq War veteran), and her father, Paul Tunnicliffe. Together they wanted to help others achieve a healthier lifestyle and opened CrossFit at the South Fayette location in June 2016. Although CrossFit is a worldwide franchise, each gym operates independently.

Anna graduated college with a degree in accounting and decision sciences, going on to earn her CrossFit trainer level 1 and 2, kids trainer, gymnastic, weightlifting, strongman and nutrition certifications.

Eight classes are offered throughout the day and each workout is personalized for each person in the class. They teach movements, form and technique before they start to add weights, keeping safety and health as their primary goal for all clients. Programs are offered to kids and teens as well as all ages of adults. CrossFit believes in community and aims to build a supportive and inviting culture in all classes within the gym.

As such, they also offer nonCrossFit classes, including a ladies-only SWEAT class on Sundays at 8 a.m.; CYCLE on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. and Sundays at 9 a.m. on the Concept2 Bike Ergs; and ROW ZONE on Sundays at 10 a.m. on the Concept2 Rowing Ergs.

Tobias has been sailing since she was a child as it was a family sport. She does most of her training in Miami during the winter and San Francisco or overseas during the summer. She met her sailing partner, Paris Henken, in 2013 when they were both sailing 49erFX against each other. Tobias retired from sailing for a few years while Henken went on to finish 1oth in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Afterwards, the Federation contacted them both to see if they would be interested in sailing together, and they agreed.

Tobias also competes in the CrossFit Games, recently winning the masters 35-39 age group in 2018.

Call 412-737-7809 or email garlitz249@gmail.com for Olympic fundraiser ticket information. Call 412-277-5922 or visit www.t2crossfit.com for information about the facility’s programs, schedules and fees.

Charlotte Smith is a Tribune-Review contributing writer. You can reach Charlotte at 724-693-9441 or charlotte59@comcast.net.