North America West, Oceania, and South America were the next three regions to take on the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games Semifinals for a chance to grab one of the few spots remaining to the ultimate proving grounds for the Fittest on Earth.
Seasoned athletes put on a show and new faces soared to the top of the leaderboard. Take a look at the best-performing individual men, women, and teams advancing to the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games
Women
- Alex Gazan
- Katrin Davidsdottir
- Arielle Loewen
- Christine Kolenbrander
- Bethany Shadburne
- Emily Rolfe
- Olivia Kerstetter
- Abigail Domit
- Baylee Rayl
- Kelly Baker
Standout Athlete: Olivia Kerstetter
Photo by Sasha Preziosa
Olivia Kerstetter is no stranger to the CrossFit Games. She is a two-time teen champion, currently holding the title of Fittest Teen on Earth in the Girls 16-17 division.
And she is still in the teen division.
Kerstetter is 17 years old and has been a threat to the women in the Individual division, some of whom are almost a decade older. Keeping with the trend set by Mal O’Brien and Emma Cary, Kerstetter has now qualified for the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games in both the Girls 16-17 and the Individual divisions.
Before the start of the North America West Semifinal, Kerstetter said she would vie for the title of Fittest on Earth with the individuals if she qualified. So, you can expect to see her on the field with the big dogs in Madison.
Men
- Patrick Vellner
- Brent Fikoswki
- Samuel Kwant
- Cole Greashaber
- Justin Medeiros
- Chandler Smith
- Nick Mathew
- Colten Mertens
- Cole Sager
Standout Athlete: Chandler Smith
Photo by Meg Ellery
Before the 2022 Granite Games, Chandler Smith said he felt he was having one of his best seasons. But the weekend that would determine if he would attend his fourth CrossFit Games did not go as planned. After experiencing an asthma attack, Smith was unable to perform at his max effort. He didn’t quit — he pushed through and finished all the events, but missed out on a ticket to the Games by five spots.
“The reality is, for me to continue doing my job, I have to figure out how to be Chandler Smith: CrossFit Games athlete again,” he said.
Smith returned to the drawing board, spending the last year training for his next shot at qualifying. At the 2023 North America West Semifinal, Smith showcased his grit and determination, securing a sixth-place finish and a ticket to Madison.
Chandler Smith: CrossFit Games athlete has returned.
Teams
- CrossFit Franco’s Misfits
- CrossFit Invictus
- CrossFit Omnia
- CrossFit Kilo II
- Koda CrossFit Redemption
- CrossFit Invictus Unconquerable
- Rhino CrossFit Dawgs
- CrossFit Invictus Sea of Green
- Einhorn CrossFit Ascend
- CrossFit Believe
Standout Affiliate: CrossFit Invictus
Team CrossFit Invictus | Photo by Adam Bow
CrossFit Invictus sent three teams to the North America West Semifinal, and the affiliate will be sending those same three teams to the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games in August.
CrossFit Invictus, Invictus Unconquerable, and Invictus Sea of Green were on home turf this weekend, traveling just two hours from San Diego, California, to attend the competition.
Team Invictus is the reigning third-fittest team on Earth and will be headed to the CrossFit Games for the 14th time.
Invictus Unconquerable is a five-time Regional and Semifinal team. This will be the team’s first CrossFit Games.
Invictus Sea of Green is one of the newest Invictus teams and is “comprised of our San Diego-based gym members who come to our regularly scheduled group coaching sessions to improve their health and fitness every day,” its athlete profile says. “This group is the ultimate representation of what CrossFit is all about.”
The team qualified past Quarterfinals for the first time this year and will be joining its other teams in Madison for its Games debut.
Women
- Ellie Turner
- Jamie Simmonds
- Emily De Rooy
Standout Athlete: Emily De Rooy
Photo by Ruby Wolff
Emily De Rooy is headed to the CrossFit Games for the first time in her career. She missed the Games by four spots at the 2022 Torian Pro and returned for redemption.
Joining the Open in 2018, Rooy is relatively new to competitive CrossFit. She qualified for her first Individual Quarterfinal in 2021. Rooy started the 2023 Oceania Semifinal with a second-place finish in Test 1 and accumulated two first-place finishes, never dropping below 11th place in any test.
Men
- Jay Crouch
- Bayley Martin
- Jake Douglas
Standout Athlete: Bayley Martin
Photo by Ruby Wolff
Bayley Martin appeared at his first CrossFit Games as a teenager in 2017. The next year, he aged out of the Boys 16-17 division and would soon have to face the big dogs if he were to return.
Martin has been vying for a ticket back to the Games since.
The 2022 season was his breakthrough year. Martin took sixth at the Torian Pro Semifinal and moved on to the Last-Chance Qualifier, where he finished his season in 13th. Just one more year of hard training could push him close enough to qualify.
Athe 2023 Oceania Semifinal, Martin finally did it. He took first place in two tests and secured a second-place finish overall, admitting him to the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games in August.
Teams
- CrossFit Torian Mayhem
- Plus64 CrossFit 64Army Endgame
- PFC CrossFit 3076
Standout Team: CrossFit Torian Mayhem
Photo by Ruby Wolff
“30+, flirty and thriving.”
That’s what the newly-formed CrossFit Torian Mayhem team describes itself on its athlete profile. Thriving indeed.
The team is keeping its winning streak alive after its Team Quarterfinal win in March. CrossFit Torian Mayhem took five first-place finishes at the Oceania Semifinal this past weekend, dominating the field. The team also tied CrossFit East Nashville PRVN’s score in Test 2 at 263 reps and posted scores that would have threatened the top teams from other regions.
This team will be one to watch in Madison.
Women
- Victoria Campos
- Alexia Williams
Standout Athlete: Victoria Campos
Photo by Joyce Silva
CrossFit Mayhem’s Victoria Campos first appeared at the CrossFit Games in 2022 after taking first place at the CrossFit Copa Sur Semifinal. She is keeping the streak alive, taking gold once again at the 2023 South America Semifinal.
Campos will be waving the Brazilian flag at the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games in just a few months.
Men
- Kaique Cerveny
- Kalyan Souza
About the Winners: Kaique Cerveny and Kalyan Souza
Photos by Joy Silva
The two men representing South America at the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games will join the growing pool of rookies in August.
Brazil’s Kaique Cerveny and Kalyan Souza have been to Semifinals before but weren’t able to edge out the competition to secure a Games-qualifying spot. This year, Cerveny and Souza put on a show-stopping performance, staying within the top five for almost all tests. Both men took the only two tickets available to the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games, accumulating an over 30-point lead above third-place finisher Gui Malheiros.
Teams
- Templo SA CrossFit Treta
- Q21 CrossFit
Standout Team: Templo SA CrossFit Treta
Photo by Joy Silva
Team Templo SA CrossFit Treta started the 2023 South America Semifinal with an 11th-place finish in Test 1. That finish must have been the fire to fuel its determination, as the team secured first- and second-place finishes in every remaining test.
All four team members, Luiz Outor, Tata Rebane, Luiz Henrique Alves Moreira, and Caroline Ferreira, will be headed to their very first CrossFit Games this year.
RECORD HOLDERS
For the 2023 season, all tests across all competitions are standardized. That means during the Semifinals, every athlete across the world will be competing in the same seven tests that will determine the fittest few advancing to the final stage — the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games.
Records were broken during Week 2. Take a look at the new record holders heading into the final week of the 2023 Semifinals.
Cover photo by Adam Bow | Graphics by Josh Rinard and Erin Garcia