Slapping Fear in the Face

Deborah Cordner Carson successfully battled lymphedema and a fear of water to win the Spirit of the Games Award at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. Andréa Maria Cecil reports.

Tyler Quinn lay in his bed, hanging on to every word announcers Justin Judkins and Sean Woodland uttered.

“I was in my room listening to the stream and holding my breath,” he said.

More than 50 minutes into the phonecast of the Camp Pendleton swim-bike-run event that opened the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games, Judkins described Deborah Cordner Carson as “still battling those waves” and “battling the surf.”

Last year, the athlete withdrew from the Games in the opening event because of her fear of open water. The first event included an ocean swim near the Santa Monica Pier.

Then Quinn heard the magic words come from Woodland’s mouth: “Deborah Cordner, we just heard, has actually rounded the last buoy. She is coming out of the water. She finished the event. She’s obviously out of contention for this one, but huge, huge victory—personal victory—for Deb Cordner because, again, if she had tapped out, it’s over.”

Quinn slammed his pillow.