The CrossFit Games have long served as the ultimate test of fitness, crowning the Fittest Man and Woman on Earth since 2007. Each year, new names pop up on the roster and make a splash in a pool chock-full of veteran athletes — 2020 is no different. From incredible Open placements to unlikely Sanctionals champions, these competitors are riding the adrenaline from their admirable pre-season right through to the 2020 Games.
Men
Jeffrey Adler
An athlete from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Jeffrey Adler made his rookie debut at the CrossFit Games in 2019, taking 33rd overall. His best event was Event 1, First Cut, in which he took fifth in the triplet of running, legless rope climbs, and squat snatches. He was cut from the competition after the fourth event, Sprint Couplet, ending his weekend early.
But in 2020, Adler came to play. Not only did he take fifth overall worldwide in the Open, he also took first in all of Canada, beating out the likes of Brent Fikowksi and Patrick Vellner. It would seem that he’s worked on his weaknesses and is ready for the 2020 Games.
Roman Khrennikov
Hailing from the Russian Federation, Roman Khrennikov took 10th overall in the 2020 Open. Khrennikov won the Europe Regional in 2018, earning his invite to the Games, but he was unable to obtain a visa to travel to the U.S. to compete. In 2019, Khrennikov again qualified for the Games by winning the sanctioned event, The CrossFit Italian Showdown, but again he was denied a visa and entry into the U.S.
It looks like 2020 might be his year. With Stage 1 taking place in home gyms and affiliates around the world, Khrennikov will at least be able to participate in the competition for a chance to earn top five, a spot in Aromas, and hopefully, a visa.
Scott Tetlow
Two-time Regional athlete Scott Tetlow will make his Games debut in 2020. Taking 17th in the worldwide Open, Tetlow earned his spot sandwiched on the Leaderboard between well-known names Jacob Heppner and Samuel Kwant. The athlete from Libertyville, Illinois, is a husband and father first, and juggles his training with a job in the U.S. military.
This year is extra sweet for Tetlow, who would have made the Games last year had it not been for 19.1, a couplet of rowing and wall balls, in which he placed 2,056th. His other worldwide placements were 154th, 79th, 42nd, and seventh.
Justin Medeiros
Twenty-one-year-old Justin Medeiros earned his ticket to the 2020 Games by way of the CrossFit-sanctioned event Filthy 150. Though no stranger to high-level competition (Medeiros took 14th at the 2018 West Regional and 15th at the 2017 California Regional), this will be his first appearance at the CrossFit Games.
Griffin Roelle
Former team athlete Griffin Roelle locked in his 2020 CrossFit Games spot by winning the Norwegian CrossFit Championship. His former team, CrossFit Dwala, took 31st at the 2018 Games. The former collegiate football player is known for his strength and resiliency, which he showcased when he kept pushing forward even after the disappointment he experienced when he nearly qualified for the 2020 Rogue Invitational but was hit with major penalties on his video performances.
Women
Karin Freyova
Slovakian athlete Karin Freyova placed ninth worldwide in this year’s Open, earning her spot at the 2020 CrossFit Games and placing her above big names in the sport such as Katrin Davidsdottir and Brooke Wells. Freyova made her Games debut in 2019, placing 21st. Her best event finishes were 10th in Ruck and 14th in Sprint Couplet.
The 24-year-old’s Open track record starts in 2016 with 1,260th place, and she’s improved greatly each year to 490th, 60th, 12th, and ninth. She’s also a top finisher at the Dubai CrossFit Championship, taking second in 2019.
Andrea Nisler
U.S.-based Andrea Nisler earned her ticket to the 2020 CrossFit Games by way of the Open, placing 15th worldwide. A seasoned team athlete before going individual, Nisler is no stranger to top-level competition. She helped her former team CrossFit OC3 take third in 2018, and fourth in 2019, and before that helped Timberwolf CrossFit to 29th- and eighth-place finishes at the 2016 and 2017 Games, respectively.
Though she initially intended to attempt to qualify a team to the 2020 Games, the elimination of the team competition presumably encouraged her to compete as an individual.
Melina Rodriguez
Melina Rodriguez of Argentina stamped her 2020 Games ticket by winning the Brazil CrossFit Championship, but it should also be noted that she took first in Argentina as well — for the third year in a row. She made her Games debut in 2019, but the legless rope climbs of Event 1 exposed a weakness and her weekend was cut short.
Rodriguez formerly competed with Team BIGG Friends at the 2017 CrossFit Games, placing 18th.
Danielle Brandon
2020 CrossFit Mayhem Classic winner Danielle Brandon took 10th at the Games in 2019. Notable finishes that year include first in Second Cut, a triplet of rowing, kettlebell jerks, and handstand walking; and fifth in Sprint Couplet.
A former collegiate pole vaulter, Brandon left the 2019 Games in 11th place but was moved to 10th after Anna Fragkou was disqualified due to a failed drug test. Landing top 10 at the Games is nothing to sneeze at, but Brandon didn’t get the opportunity to compete in the place she earned, and she’s looking to rectify that in 2020.
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