Getting to Know FitFest Team Captain Ella Wunger
Out of the stacked roster of elite athletes who will be attending FitFest this December 8-10, 2023 CrossFit Games rookie Ella Wunger from Sweden was chosen as one of the three team captains along with Danielle Brandon and Emma Lawson.
Wunger finished 34th at the Games, with her best event being a fourth-place finish in Test 5” “Ski-Bag,” and now with Games experience under her belt, she has a newfound confidence heading into 2024.
With FitFest less than a month away we decided to catch up with Ella and ask her about her time at the Games as well as her role as team captain at the upcoming athlete showcase.
Let’s take a quick look at her team and then dive straight into the questions.
Team Wunger
- Ella Wunger
- Patrick Vellner
- Jack Farlow
- Alex Gazan
- Kels Kiel
- Jelle Hoste
How did you get chosen to be a team captain at FitFest?
Ella Wunger: “To be honest, I’m wondering the same thing. 😅 But I’m very happy about it, I look forward to it so much!”
Your team looks like it has the best chance of all three teams to win the strength event. Did you choose based on strength?
EW: “It was not my main priority, but in the end I ended up with some of the strongest people.
Which is really cool! So we’re gonna make sure to play with that to our advantage.”
What were the main factors you were looking for when choosing team members?
EW: “My main focus was to get a well-rounded team with experience, especially since I don’t have a huge amount.
Also good vibes and positive energy, and I really feel that I succeeded with that”.
Are there any movements you’re looking forward to seeing?
EW: “I would love to see some heavy bench press”.
How does it feel to be team captain with a Games veteran like Patrick Vellner on your team?
EW: “It feels really cool. And a little bit scary to be honest, but I know he has a huge amount of experience and fitness so that will be super helpful. I hope he’ll bring some dad wisdom too”.
As a rookie at the Games this year what were the biggest changes you made compared to last year?
EW: “I moved to where my team, The Progrm, is located on Mallorca. Spent all my time here training under the best circumstances and with the best people. I think that was the biggest change”.
What are your goals for next year?
EW: “I always want to become better. I’ll continue to develop my strengths and work on my weaknesses to become better than I have ever been. I want to go back to the Games and feel like I belong there with the rest of the field”.
Some Final Thoughts
Ella Wunger and other rookies on the team (Hoste, Farlow) will be looking to show off at FitFest and hopefully upset the other teams with an overall team win.
Wunger will be leading the charge and this is a great opportunity for her to develop as an athlete and a leader.
We look forward to watching it all go down in just a few weeks.
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