You know it’s CrossFit Games Open season when your social media features a constant stream of torn hands and bodies on the floor.
This week caps the end of Open Workout 20.2, a 20-minute AMRAP of 4 heavy dumbbell thrusters, 6 toes-to-bars, and 24 double-unders — or, as CrossFit Games veteran Lukas Högberg said, “running around in small circles for 20 minutes.”
Top finishes and $2,020 went to six-time Games competitor Kristin Holte (1,045 reps) and five-time Games athlete Frederik Aegidius (1,030 reps). For all the mortals out there, that’s 52 reps, or about 1.5 rounds, per minute. After video review, Aegidius received a false start penalty, adjusting his score to 1,028 reps and moving him into a tie with Derek Saltou of the U.S. Saltou did not supply a video for 20.2, so Aegidius and Holte will take home the US$2,020 for Open Workout 20.2. Holte experienced technical difficulties during her video recording but was able to supplement her video with a backup recording.
With just two workouts in the books, the overall leaderboard is beginning to reify. One man is starting to stand out from the crowd: Lefteris Theofanidis, Greece’s 2019 National Champion.
Theofanidis won 20.1, and though he took third in 20.2 with a score of 1,024 reps, he remains in first overall with 65 points, 9 fewer than six-time Games athlete Björgvin Karl Guðmundsson in second. Though perhaps not a household name, Theofanidis is not new to the game: He’s a three-time Regional competitor and was also Greece’s fittest man from 2015-2017.
The women’s leader, however, is no stranger to the top. Sara Sigmundsdottir is a two-time Open victor (2017 and 2019) and holds first place after two workouts, just one point ahead of Holte in second.
And the leaderboard has more insight to offer than just who’s winning. Last week, we noted the stellar performances of the 2019 national champions in 20.1, and they haven’t let up yet. Once again, both of the week’s victors were among 2019’s national champions, and the men’s and women’s leaderboards combined feature 11 national champions in the top 10.
Though not among the top 10, Gabriela Migala is also worth keeping an eye on. Currently in 14th, the 21-year-old took third in the Teen Girls 16-17 division at the 2016 Reebok CrossFit Games and was Poland’s National Champion last year (and banks unofficial points for cutest workout partner).
You might also tip your hat to Kara Saunders, who not only is competing in the Open just five months after giving birth to her first child but also holds a Games-qualifying spot (19th) to boot.
This year, there are more ways than ever to see how your fitness ranks. Not only can you filter by country, division, and workout type, but you can also create custom leaderboards with your friends and add hashtags to your profile.
Last week, we shined a light on the top firefighters, service members and teachers of the week. This week, we take a look at the medical community.
The fittest male and female #nurse hail from Sweden: Hanna Karlsson of CrossFit 162 West, who made her first Games appearance in 2019, and Ladan CrossFit’s Victor Ljungdal.
The fittest #doctors after two weeks are Australia’s Ryan Russell of Marlin Coast CrossFit and Tere Cuevas of Brick CrossFit Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
And don’t forget your friendly #physicaltherapist, with top overall spots going to Carla Frazier of CrossFit Abilene in Texas and CrossFit Soto’s Drew Wayman. (Incidentally, Wayman is currently the third-fittest #student.)
Maybe the individual competition isn’t your jam — that’s OK! You can always filter the leaderboard by affiliate and see where your gym stands. And while affiliates that are home to top Games athletes tend to lead in the “top 2” or “top 4” filters — CrossFit Mayhem currently leads both — you can sort by “average” and see how your community stacks up relative to its size.
But the great thing about the Open is it’s for everyone, whether you’re at the top of the leaderboard or not on it at all. The Open is a celebration of fitness and an opportunity for accomplishment — as it was for Shawn of Home Roots CrossFit in Illinois. Shawn survived a stroke in 2018 and couldn’t even walk last year. Last week, he did 20.2.
Or for Sophia Nejkav, who completed 20.2 after losing 97 lb.
Or for 7-year-old Rhys, who proved that the phrase “age is just a number” goes both ways.
So get inspired, chalk up, and celebrate your fitness with other remarkable athletes in our community. We’ll check back in with you next week after Open Workout 20.3.
ADDITIONAL READING
- Exposing weaknesses
- "I could have crammed 30-plus rounds of 20.2 into at least one of those 20-minute sets — if I was Norwegian marvel Kristin Holte, who topped the workout, for women and men, with a mind-blowing 1,045 reps. If I was New Zealand's Jamie Greene, I could've racked up 1,043 reps (only marginally less mind-blowing)." Continue reading.
- "An Open Letter to Everyone Doing the Open Without 'Doing' the Open (OPINION)"
- "Katrin Davidsdottir Shares Powerful Message After Attending espnW Women + Sports Summit"
- "New Zealand CrossFit Star Jamie Greene on Life in the UAE, her Bronze at the 2019 Games and Motherly Love"
Cover photo taken by Nero at CrossFit Decennia, Brighton, UK