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Kari Pearce to Hang it Up After Rogue Invitational

October 22, 2021 by
Photo Credit: CrossFit LLC
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Today, after months-long speculation as to her competitive future, seven-time CrossFit Games athlete Kari Pearce announced that she will definitively retire after next weekend’s Rogue Invitational. She will instead focus on running her PowerAbs business, which is one of the top 100 fastest-growing companies in the U.S. according to Pearce. 

One big thing: The four-time fittest American woman and the first female to break a five-year podium drought for the United States, will leave a gaping hole at the top of the leaderboard where she’s spent the last five seasons.

  • Five consecutive years (2016-2020) she has finished inside the top ten overall at the CrossFit Games, including third place in 2020. 
  • She racked up four event wins in her Games career (tied for 9th all-time among women).
  • In 2019, she won Mary, but more impressively also outperformed every male competitor at the Games that year. 
  • In 2020, she beat both men and women again in Atalanta, perhaps the most grueling final event in Games history.
  • In addition to her success at the Games, Pearce has racked up six consecutive top 20 Open finishes, three podium finishes at Regionals (2015, 2017, 2018), a second-place this last season at the West Coast Classic Semifinal, and had a phenomenal Sanctional record including a 2nd and a 3rd place at Wodapalooza, and a 6th place at the first Rogue Invitational.

What she said: “The 2021 [Rogue Invitational] will be the last time I step on the CrossFit competition floor!” I’ve been so fortunate to have been competing for the past 7 years with many of the greatest athletes (and people) in the world,” Pearce wrote. 

  • “The last 7 years have been nothing short of amazing. I have met so many incredible people and have grown so much as an athlete but even more importantly, as a person.”
  • “Every athlete reaches this point in their career and it’s time for me to now move my full focus to my business.”
  • “Thank you so much to everyone for all of your support throughout the years. It means the world to me.” 

One last chance: Fans will get one last chance to see Pearce compete at the Rogue Invitational next weekend, October 29-31, which will be broadcast live on YouTube. 

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