On Jan. 21, 2022, Icelandic favorite Annie Thorisdottir posted a photo to Instagram of herself and three of some of the strongest athletes in CrossFit. The caption read: “MY TEAM!”
The CrossFit community blew up.
Fulfilling a Career Goal
For three decades, Thorisdottir dominated the individual division. She has a total of 10 CrossFit Games appearances and six podium finishes, and she is the only athlete to have competed in all three decades the CrossFit Games have been in existence.
Between August 2020 and August 2021, “Iceland Annie” shocked the CrossFit community when she gave birth and took third at the CrossFit Games all in a one-year period.
“Last year she had such an incredible performance, so it was a little shocking to see Annie go team this year,” Annie Sakamoto said.
Although her expectations to win the Games were low heading into the 2021 season, in 2022 Thorisdottir is ready to return to the top of the podium — this time, on a team.
“I’ve always had it in the back of my mind: ‘One of these years, I want to try to go team,’” Thorisdottir said.
Thorisdottir had a conversation with five-time CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser to gauge who would be the best athletes for her team before she started sending out invitations. She also started conversations with CrossFit to ensure creating a team with her prospects was possible given the Affiliate Cup rules.
Recruiting a Force To Fear
Lauren Fisher was the first athlete Thorisdottir recruited to team CrossFit Reykjavík. She asked Fisher to join her for the 2022 season through an Instagram DM, and Fisher couldn’t quite tell if she was serious or not.
“Did you really just ask me through an Instagram message if I want to do a team for the CrossFit Games?” Fisher told her.
Thorisdottir responded, “Hell yeah. If we get the right team together, I’m serious. I want to win the Games on a team as well.”
Once Fisher agreed to move to Iceland, the two women were on the search for men to round out the team.
Two names came to mind: Khan Porter and Tola Morakinyo.
By mid-January, all four athletes were training in Iceland together in preparation for the 2022 CrossFit Open.
The Roster
“Team Reykjavík is sort of an international super team,” Sean Woodland said.
Khan Porter
Porter has been one of Australia’s leading CrossFit athletes since his Regional debut in 2013. He is a six-time Games athlete, five in the individual division and one on team Project X.
“Khan has the blackout switch that very few people have,” Tommy Marquez said. For evidence, watch the final event at the 2016 Pacific Regional.
Khan Porter at the 2021 Torian Pro Semifinal | Photo by @benywatson
Tola Morakinyo
Although most members of CrossFit Reykjavík have experience mostly within the individual division, Morakinyo has the extensive team experience the newly formed team needs to succeed.
Morakinyo has been to the CrossFit Games three times on teams Reebok CrossFit Back Bay in 2017, CrossFit Invictus Back Bay in 2018, and Invictus Boston in 2019.
Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, Morakinyo is one of the strongest competitors in Games history. On his athlete profile, Morakinyo has logged an impressive 500-lb back squat, a 615-lb deadlift, and a 390-lb clean and jerk. Those numbers put him in league with other big lifters like Sam Dancer, who last competed with Invictus X in 2019.
Tola Marakinyo at the 2021 Dubai CrossFit Championship | Photo by @1rmphotography
Lauren Fisher
28-year-old Lauren Fisher has already attended the CrossFit Games seven times, three times on a team and four times as an individual.
She helped team CrossFit Invictus take third at the 2019 CrossFit Games and had her best Games finish in 2014, when she placed ninth as an individual.
Lauren Fisher at the 2018 Reebok CrossFit Games | Photo by Daniel A. Anderson
Four Individuals Training as One
Since the majority of the members have extensive experience as individual athletes, training as a team has its challenges. But, with the combined talent and experience, the athletes are likely to push each other further than they have ever been pushed before.
For the three who moved to Iceland, being surrounded by the best CrossFit athletes in the world, such as Katrin Davidsdottir and Björgvin Karl Gudmundsson, will be an invaluable experience.
“I can’t even imagine the level of training and the knowledge I’m going to get this year and just how much we’re going to push each other to be better athletes,” Fisher said.
In the three months leading up to the Open, Thorisdottir worked on patching any holes the athletes had in their game, mostly focusing on form so they would move well as a unit.
CrossFit Reykjavík at the 22.3 Live Open Announcement | Photo by @nwr_productions
The 2022 Season So Far
Team CrossFit Reykjavík started the 2022 season with an invitation to complete Workout 22.3 during the live Open announcement, the first time two affiliates were invited to an athlete showdown.
As a first glimpse into the strengths of the rookie team, Reykjavík finished the Open in fourth on the worldwide leaderboard.
Heading into the Team Quarterfinal, the expectations were high, as this was a real test of their abilities in comparison to five-time Affiliate Cup winner CrossFit Mayhem Freedom, the team Reykjavík is out to beat.
Despite a hiccup in Workout 2, when the team finished 30th, Reykjavík finished every other workout in first on the Europe leaderboard. The team currently sits in fourth on its continental leaderboard. On the worldwide leaderboard, Reykjavík didn’t quite make the top 10, sitting in 12th overall.
With CrossFit Mayhem Freedom’s first-place position on the worldwide leaderboard, the teammates from Reykjavík still have work to do heading into Semifinals if they have their sights set on bumping Mayhem from their winning streak.
“They’re going to have to have as flawless of a run as it can get in order to win the thing,” Woodland said of Thorisdottir’s team.
But, Reykjavík accepts the challenge.
“We know they’re the best. They know they’re the best, but they can be beat.” Morakinyo said, reflecting on the high but not insurmountable bar set by CrossFit Mayhem.
Watch more on Team Reykjavík in Miles to Madison 01.22: Fresh Starts for the Fittest.