Keira McManus has revealed she consumes 3,500 calories daily to maintain her record-breaking strength.
McManus, 16, from Stoke-on-Trent, England, recently won her third consecutive title at the CrossFit Games in California on July 26, becoming the first female teenager to achieve that feat. The victory came despite the student having to scale back her training schedule to study for her GCSE exams.
“I’ve been doing some form of fitness since the age of seven and did my first competition at 11,” the teen said in an interview. “I just fell in love with the sport.”
She added: “During Covid I couldn’t do my other sports like football so I just focused on CrossFit and fitness with my family.”
McManus balanced a gruelling daily routine while preparing for her exams, returning home from school around 4pm before heading to the gym from 5pm until 8.30pm each night. She even brought her revision materials to the gym, reading notes while cycling on the exercise bike to combine training with studying.
“It was a huge shock to win again – I have no words. The sacrifices and work I’ve put in over the past couple of months to get this title have been worth it,” she said.
“It’s really, really hard, the training can be really mentally hard because of how much of yourself you’re giving to it. Winning it is such a relief as well, knowing it was worth all the hours of training I put in to get to this.”
Maintaining her elite performance requires substantial nutrition. McManus consumes approximately 3,500 calories per day, starting each morning with porridge, a banana, a protein shake and a single custard cream. Her daily intake includes more than 150g of protein and roughly 1kg of chicken every week.
Despite weighing just 10 stone 12lbs (69kg), McManus can lift 265lbs above her head, nearly twice her body weight. Her other lifts include a 198lb bench press, a 265lb clean and jerk, and a 198lb snatch.
Her father, Joel McManus, expressed his pride at his daughter’s unprecedented achievement.
“I’m very proud of her. She first won in 2024, which was a bit of a shock to us as it was her first year and then last year she won it again,” he said.
“Then she stepped up and won in her new division, which is unheard of. We can’t believe it but we’re on a winning streak, she’s such a high-level athlete.”
He continued: “Everyone sees her potential, our objective is to see what we can do at the elite levels in the adult women’s category and see how far she’ll go.”
In the viral moment that established her reputation, McManus first emerged as a dominant force in teenage CrossFit competition during the 2024 Games, winning as a newcomer and surprising even her own family. She defended her title in 2025 before moving up to a new age division and capturing her historic third straight crown this July in California, defeating 20 competitors from around the world.
McManus offered guidance for others hoping to pursue similar athletic goals.
“Just be willing. Don’t be intimidated by new classes and exercises as that’s where most people fail and quit,” she said.
“Sleep is important as it recovers your body the most – nine hours per day to prioritise strength and recovery.
“Fuelling before and after workouts is good to provide the best results. Protein shakes go a long way, but so does a balanced diet.
“It’s important to remember you need to eat to perform.”
McManus plans to continue training with the aim of eventually competing at the elite adult level.