“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I'll spend the first five sharpening the axe.”- Abraham Lincoln
CROSSFIT GAMES
Teen Up-and-Comer Bergros Bjornsdottir on Heat Stroke, CrossFit Reykjavik, and Getting Third at the CrossFit Games
A new Icelandic queen is on the scene, and her name is Bergros Bjornsdottir.
At 16-years-old, Icelandic Bjornsdottir has a bronze medal around her neck from the 16-17 Girls division at the CrossFit Games. And while her performance earned her 490 points and a podium finish by the end of the weekend, Bjornsdottir had an intense battle with the Wisconsin sun to get there.
The first test of the weekend for the age group divisions, a two-part event with the Olympic Total followed by Farmer’s Field, a grueling aerobic chipper with nowhere to hide from the sun, left Bjornsdottir struggling. Despite her best efforts to acclimate and anticipate heat challenges before and even during the competition, she came down with heat stroke and was carried off the field of play by medical staff.
“The physical and mental toll was considerable, testing my resilience yet again,” Bjornsdottir said. With the help of medical staff and her coaches, she was able to formulate a game plan to at least partially recover for the weekend. “Despite setbacks and demanding workouts, I resolved not to allow the heatstroke to hamper my performance.”
Bjornsdottir is no stranger to medical setbacks, though. After the Games in 2022, where she placed 8th in the 14-15 division, she faced a severe back injury that put her months behind in training and forced her to test her mental fortitude and focus on recovery. Then, a sprained ankle during Quarterfinals required similar focus outside of her performance.
These two obstacles on the front end of her season gave Bjornsdottir a renewed sense of perseverance, she says.
“Placing faith in the journey’s progression reaps lasting rewards,” Bjornsdottir said on her tumultuous season.
All of the challenges of her season came to an end, though, at the CrossFit Games.
Finally healthy and confident in her abilities, Bjornsdottir knew she had what it would take to make it to the podium. Even with her heat stroke, her practiced calmness under stress led her to a smooth competition. By the end, she stood in third with a bronze medal around her neck and an Icelandic flag behind her.
“I was so proud seeing my hard work paying off. I was very proud of myself for getting through all the obstacles this season that came my way,” Bjornsdottir said.
Bjornsdottir attributes much of her success to the world-renowned gym she goes to: CrossFit Reykjavik.
Though it’s a two hour round trip every day, she says it’s well worth it to be surrounded by the best in the sport and learn from them. She also says that it motivates her to keep training, and potentially even be in their position someday.
That day might not be that far off. Bjornsdottir still has an entire year of growth before she ages out of the teenage division, making her an early front runner for the title spot in the 2024 season. Plus, she says that one of the biggest lessons she’s learned so far in her career is to separate herself and her value from her athletic achievements and to prioritize her mental wellbeing. This certainly bodes well for her as she attempts to break into the competitive Women’s division field in the coming years.
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SPEED READS
Los Niños: Best bros Noah Ohlsen and Chandler Smith have teamed up with Lena Richter and Sydney Michalyshan to form a team for the Madrid Championship. Between the four athletes, they have 19 Games appearances and Ohlsen has already announced his plans to go team for the 2024 season.
The Madrid Championship is taking place at the Caja Magica in Madrid, Spain on September 7-10, 2023. Get tickets now.
🚨🚨 TYR Wodapalooza Online Challenge and Qualifier (WZAOC): The WZAOC is the first step in earning a spot to compete in Miami at the TYR WZA fitness festival in January, but it’s also a great opportunity to throw down with your gym family, Friday Night Lights-style. Athletes have two options for the TYR WZAOC, individual or team of three. Check it out register now!
The first two weeks are focused on our individual athletes and kick off on Thursday, September 14th, with scores due and registration closing on Monday, September 18th at 8:00 PM ET.
The second week starts on Thursday, September 21st, with scores due on Monday, September 25th at 8:00 PM ET.
The Rogue “Q” Workouts: The Rogue Invitational qualifier, known as the “Q,” will take place August 25-28 (this weekend). The workouts have been released and they look 🌶️🥵🌶️.
First Look: Six-time CrossFit Games champ, Tia-Clair Toomey posted a short video of her attempting one of the WZAOC workouts.
For its final year in Madison, the 2023 CrossFit Games did not disappoint. From the inaugural test on there was no shortage of action and controversy, and along with that, there were many “firsts” to note.
When it came to the athletes, events, and implements tested we were surprised with what we didn’t see, just as much as what we did see.
Below we are going to share some of the most interesting things at this year’s Games that happened for the first time ever.
Coory Joshlin Found CrossFit Weighing 419 Pounds, Proving “You Don’t Have to be in Shape to Start CrossFit”
In January 2023, Coory Joshlin reached an all-time weight high: 419 pounds.
Around the same time, his doctor told him that if he continued on the path he was on, he would very quickly start to have serious health problems.
“That really opened my eyes,” said the 6-foot-4, 44-year-old Joshlin who works in law enforcement as a criminal investigator.
Joshlin had heard about CrossFit before, but feeling scared and intimidated “held me back,” he said. “I was scared of the unknown,” and hesitant he wouldn’t fit in because he was overweight, he explained.
But the number on the scale and his doctor’s words were enough to get him to act.
So when Joshiln saw on Facebook that Ole Glory CrossFit in Broussard, LA was offering an OnRamp class, he decided to put his fears aside and show up. And to his surprise, he actually enjoyed it. “A lot,” he said, adding that the last thing he felt was judged.
“People were cheering me on. I had never experienced that before,” he said.
Joshlin’s Journey so Far
When Joshlin first started at Ole Glory CrossFit seven months ago, he couldn’t push himself up off the floor unassisted to get up. He had chronic back pain, and everyday tasks like walking and tying his shoes were challenging.
Today, Joshlin’s back pain has all but disappeared, and he has no problem pushing himself up from the ground. He does burpees and squats and deadlifts, and has noticed his endurance and mobility has seriously improved. Joshlin has lost 30 pounds and is well on way to his 100-pound weight loss goal.
Today’s workout is programmed by the 2023 CrossFit Games Rookie of the Year, Olivia Kerstetter. In her rookie campaign as an individual (and the youngest in the field), Kerstetter took three heat wins and a test win in the Echo Thruster Final, completing her 66-foot overhead walking lunge unbroken. Prior to this season, Kerstetter had a steller teen career, winning both the 14-15 and 16-17 divisions.
Olivia Kerstetter
For Time:
BUY IN: 20 Burpee Box Jump Overs (24/20 inches)
Directly into…
21-15-9:
Cal Echo Bike
Double DB Thrusters (50/35 pounds)
Double DB Box Step Overs (24/20 inches)
Directly into…
BUY OUT: 20 Burpee Box Jump Overs (24/20 inches)
Scaling Options: Athletes can substitute lighter dumbbells so that they are able to do the thrusters and step overs unbroken. Additionally, athletes can adjust to burpee box step ups or use a shorter box if needed.
Advice from Olivia: “Don’t go out too hot on the buy in because the workout doesn’t start until the rounds of 21-15-9! Also, once you get past the round of 15 start pushing it a little more because you are almost done! Have fun with this one!”
To inquire about submitting an upcoming workout of the week, shoot us a note.
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🥇Congratulations to Jonas Z. and Alee H. of CrossFit Bayreuth in Bayreuth, Germany, for taking first place in their division at the Austrian Throwdown.
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