Coach Robert Yates and Angela Yates celebrate at the annual CrossFit Games / Contributed photo

Angela Yates of CrossFit Cornelius proved she is one of the world’s strongest women with her performance at this year’s CrossFit Games in San Jose, California.

The Cornelius resident and Keller Williams Realtor finished eighth in the 60-64 women’s age division of CrossFit Masters competition. This year’s competition included seven events over three days, each combining exercises designed to test strength, endurance and overall fitness through weightlifting, running and bodyweight movements.

Yates finished in the top 10 in four events, with her best performance a third-place finish in an event focused on thrusters — a front squat followed by an overhead press — and burpees.

“I am honestly not sure why I did well on that one because, I mean, who loves thrusters and burpees?” she said. “I just knew I needed to go hard.”

She also credited support from the 230 members of CrossFit Cornelius.

“The support from my gym friends was huge,” she said. “Their daily text of encouragement really helped fuel me.”

Yates, 61, has been doing CrossFit for 15 years. She qualified for the CrossFit Masters after a strong showing at the quarterfinals in Alabama and a first-place finish at the semifinals in Orlando. She trained twice a day in preparation for the finals.

CrossFit Masters is the age-group championship for CrossFit athletes 35 and older, with competitors divided into five-year age divisions. Athletes qualify through the annual CrossFit Games season, beginning with the worldwide Open and advancing through additional qualifying stages before earning a spot at the Masters championship.

Yates is now ranked eighth in the world in her age division. She was accompanied to the event by her husband, Robert Yates, and her coach, who is also named Robert Yates.