2nd Fittest Ohlsen Sees Top 5 As Once-in-Lifetime Games Opportunity
Friday afternoon, the CrossFit Games team made yet another major announcement regarding changes to the 2020 CrossFit Games format following a lengthy call with the 60 qualified individual athletes. The decision to add an online element to the competition to thin the field prior to the in-person competition at the Ranch will certainly be one that spurs debate in the coming weeks, while athletes re-adjust their plans for the Games yet again.
Noah Ohlsen, is coming off a career best year where he finally reached the CrossFit Games podium, and came the closest of any athlete to unseating Mat Fraser since his title run began. The path back though has required some adjustments into the mindset of how he’s approaching the season so far.
“I’ve really had to work on being as adaptable as possible since so much of this is outside of my control,” Ohlsen said. “A lot of people are in the same boat, so I’ve tried to be mindful of that and focus on what’s within the scope of my control each day.”
His performance in 2019 has certainly added interest in seeing a rematch at the Games this year, but the volatility of the past few months has left athletes in a holding pattern, including the reigning silver medalist.
- “I’ll be honest it’s been tough trying to stay dialed in with training without knowing when, and if something is happening with the Games,” Ohlsen told the Morning Chalk Up. “I’ve worked hard on stepping outside of that mindset to be able to stay on my game. At least now we have something more concrete to prepare for.”
- Ohlsen placed 6th in the Open and 3rd at Wodapalooza behind Patrick Vellner and Cole Sager, respectively.
It should be noted: The dates for both portions of the online and in-person competitions are still unknown, along with details surrounding equipment, multiple attempts at workouts, and a host of other things that multiple athletes asked the Games team during their recent call but went unanswered.
- The online portion will take place in one of three possible windows during September, that athletes confirmed were included in a form sent to them that they were able to vote on and choose which of the three dates were their preferred choice.
The latest switch was likely a recently decided upon audible by the Games staff in response to increased restrictions in the state of California, but Ohlsen is already working on ways to make the most of the online portion and create a better competition environment.
- Ohlsen: “I spoke with Travis (Mayer) and Chandler (Smith) and depending on what’s allowed we’re going to try and at least get together to do the workouts somehow and push each other. Even if we do them at separate times it will be nice to throw down in a high-level environment like that.”
A silver lining: There’s no questioning that the 2020 CrossFit Games will look and feel unlike any of its predecessors, and despite any criticisms of the current state of affairs for the season, Ohlsen sees it as a unique opportunity.
- “I guess the bright side in all this is that something like this will probably never happen again with the Games, so to be able to be one of the five that makes it to the Ranch and gets to compete on a once in a lifetime type stage would be a pretty cool distinction.”
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