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It was only six months ago when Erin Light burst onto the CrossFit scene with a third-place finish at a competition in Lloydminster, Alta.

This week, she's calling her appearance at the world championships surreal.

The 26-year-old Whitehorse athlete finished 27th out of 44 women at the 2013 Reebok CrossFit Games held in Carson, Calif. July 22 to 28, with a top score of ninth in the 鈥楥lean and Jerk' event.

Her ranking was good for third among the four Canadian women competing.

Light qualified for the event by finishing second at the Canada West regionals in June.

Her rapid rise to fame has shocked many people, including herself.

"I still feel like I haven't fully come down,鈥� Light admitted yesterday. "I think I'm more shocked and in disbelief a little bit of how quickly I made it there. I just kept myself healthy, physically and mentally, and it just kind of came out of nowhere for me.

"I'm just feeling blessed and grateful for the body that I have, and the ability to work that hard. I learned a lot about myself at the Games 鈥� I definitely fully exerted myself and I'm very fatigued overall.鈥�

CrossFit is a demanding fitness regimen that combines weightlifting movements, gymnastics and training exercises into a variety of workouts. It's tagline 鈥楾he Fittest on Earth' is no joke.

Light entered the world championship ranked 42nd among the 44 athletes, but found herself finishing as high as ninth in one event and at least middle of the pack in nine others.

"I was really nervous,鈥� she said. "My goal was to have a couple of finishes in the 20s and pop out 35th. I came in 27th, so I moved up quite a bit. I totally exceeded all of my expectations.鈥�

Light, an Environment Yukon employee, was introduced to CrossFit just two years ago. Prior to that, the Brampton, Ont. native was a competitive gymnast and cheerleader.

Despite competing at major events in the past, the 5-foot-7, 155-pound Light said the CrossFit Games were a spectacle beyond her imagination.

"It was really easy to go out there and try my best because there was a sold-out stadium of 24,000 people,鈥� she said.

"You feel the energy the moment you walk in, and the energy kind of carries you.鈥�

The first day, Light was simply determined to show she belonged. Once she felt at ease, she loosened up and began to truly revel in the experience.

It was during an event called the 鈥榋igZag Sprint,' which sees competitors deke around a couple of obstacles in a test of agility and speed, where Light realized how far she's come.

"We were standing on the field for quite a while, and I remember actually looking up at how many people were there,鈥� she said. "It finally dawned on me 鈥� they're here to see me. I'm one of the people they're here to see, and that was kind of shocking for me. That was when I kind of took the time to look around and savour the moment.鈥�

Peak Fitness gym co-owner Erin Schultz was part of the small contingent of fans that cheered Light on throughout the Games.

"I think she did absolutely fantastic,鈥� Schultz said of Light's gutsy performance. "She exceeded her expectations, and we sort of went into it saying even if you come in last, you're still 44th in the world.鈥�

Watching Light finish in the top 25 per cent in the 鈥楥lean and Jerk' was a top highlight for Schultz.

"I don't think you can print what went through my mind at that moment,鈥� she laughed. "It was amazing to see that ninth place finish. Totally cool.鈥�

While Light may be surprised at her early success, Schultz is not.

"She's been training really, really consistently since after Christmas,鈥� she explained. "Her drive is what I see (motivating her). She sees what she can do, and she gets it. She goes for it 100 per cent.鈥�

Light said representing the Yukon was a source of pride for her throughout the championship.

Her performance came without a coach or any specific training programming.

"It just shows a can-do attitude,鈥� she said. "There's no barriers as a result of where we live.鈥�

Light said she isn't sure what's next for her when it comes to competition.

"I need to have some down time in the next month, see how my body feels and reassess my goals,鈥� she said. "You need to come down from the high and reevaluate your goals. I need to be considerate of my husband and my full-time job.

"A lot of people up here have been involved in my journey, so I'm just grateful to my friends, family, husband, and the gym.鈥�