Living With Passion: Andres Danelutto

March 18, 2013

Zeyla Montero

"I may not be the strongest in weightlifting, or the fastest and most enduring runner, but my overall results are very consistent."
Photos by: Jorge Huerta

The CrossFit Games Open is nothing new for Andres Danelutto, a 32-year-old Argentinean living in Panama.

He took third place in the 2011 Latin America Regional in Panama, and this year he is hungry for another top finish. He expects that his 415-lb. deadlift, 445-lb. back squat, 225-lb. snatch and 275-lb. clean and jerk will help him achieve a high placing at the 2012 Regional in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

His passion for sports began very early, having 16 years of experience in roller hockey. When he relocated to Panama, he began exercising on his own, and it was through watching online videos, he discovered CrossFit. Soon after, he noticed CrossFit was changing his life.

Nowadays, Danelutto begins his usual routine at 4:20 a.m., and somewhere in his day fits an average of two-and-a-half hours of training at CrossFit Brigga, in Panama. His programming throughout the week balances weightlifting movements, technique practice and metabolic conditioning. He complements this with healthy nutrition, following a relatively strict paleo/Zone diet.

He still concedes however, that he needs to improve his recovery time to allow his body to re-gain strength for him to feel not only 100 percent mentally at competition, but also physically.

After many months of training, he feels he is more than ready to finally win a spot to the 2013 Reebok CrossFit Games.

“I might not be the strongest in weightlifting, the fastest and most enduring runner, but my overall results are very consistent,” Danelutto says. “I am well prepared and my body is ready to achieve a place on the podium again.”

He feels the programming of 13.1 did not favor his strengths, as he hates burpees. After achieving a 16th-place finish in the region, he now feels the rest of the Open should run smoothly.

Even though he also qualified for the 2012 Regionals in Cali, Colombia with a 20th-place finish in the Open, he had several personal complications, and opted not to compete. This year, he will not allow any obstacle to come between him and the competition.

“I told Orlando Trejo, who I now consider a close friend, ‘I´m not sure if I will beat you, but I´m sure I will give you a very strong fight,’” Danelutto says.

“CrossFit has redefined my life, it is living with passion every single moment,” he adds. “It is great to able to overcome challenges every single day, even if they come packaged in 17 minutes of suffering. In the end, we enjoy the results and it is awesome to see what we are able to do. At the same time, it is incredible to see the sense of community, even (though) we are all competing for the same prize, we are always cheering for the results of our friends and will be happy for their success.”

Danelutto's top priority at this point is to continue his preparation for Regionals.

“I have another opportunity this year, and so far, I´m happy with my start in the Open, but I have to remain concentrated in my training with one goal in mind: Regionals.”