Despite her bumpy road to success, 2022 CrossFit Games silver medalist Lauren Taylor, a Coatesville resident, never lost her competitive spirit, she writes for Philly Voice. 

The first major obstacle was a broken collarbone she suffered as a high school sophomore during a basketball game. The injury caused her years of sensation issues in her neck, arms, and hands. 

She was diagnosed with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, which was rare at the time. However, the surgeon who agreed to do the surgery ended up inadvertently causing Taylor permanent nerve damage and digestive issues. 

Still, the athlete did not allow any of those issues to impede her love for and ability to compete in sports. 

“I helped Shippensburg win the NCAA National Championship in 2013, alongside my fellow classmates,” she wrote. “I continued to compete by running in road races and eventually discovered Spartan Race obstacle courses in 2019.” 

After a car accident in September 2020, Taylor’s health issues worsened. Despite being in pain, she was overjoyed to continue competing after she discovered that CrossFit games had an adaptive division for neuromuscular participants. Two years later, she won second place at the CrossFit Games. 

Read more about Lauren Taylor in Philly Voice.