25 Nations Will Be Represented at the 2024 CrossFit Games
One of CrossFit’s long-time goals has been to bring the sport to a global audience.
- It’s an admirable goal that, in 2019, led to national champions from every country earning a CrossFit Games invite.
But in reality, it just wasn’t practical.
Here we are today: Only the fittest 40 men and women in the world get to compete on the biggest stage of the sport next month in Fort Worth, TX.
So how global has the sport become in 2024?
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The details: This year, the 40 men and women competing in the Individual division come from 25 different countries.
The men’s division represents 15 countries, and the women 17.
- As for the team competition, they will be represented by 12 different countries.
In comparison: At the upcoming 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, athletes represent more than 200 countries.
- That being said, the modern Olympic Games are 128 years old — it’s not exactly a fair comparison.
One big thing: In 2009, Annie Thorisdottir put Iceland on the map as a CrossFit force and further solidified its reputation when she won both the 2011 and 2012 Games. The sport grew in Iceland, and by 2015 — and again in 2016 and 2017 — Iceland had four women on the Games roster. But for the first time this year since 2008, not a single Icelandic female will be competing at the Games.
- This summer, the only individual athlete competing from Iceland is male athlete Bjorgvin Karl Gudmundsson.
4 Facts Worth Noting
One: The predetermined Games invitations, based on the Worldwide Ranking System and Strength of Field, are the reason for this, but 50 percent of the men’s field and 48 percent of the women’s field are North American.
Two: Canadian CrossFit athletes have continued to prove their talent this season. They have nine athletes competing (23 percent of the North American athletes), which is particularly noteworthy as the United States has essentially 10 times the population of Canada.
Three: Russia has three athletes competing, although, for two of them, their flags will not show on the leaderboard. While Roman Khrennikov is a favorite to win, he is competing under the American flag now.
Four: Fourteen countries will send just one athlete to Fort Worth: New Zealand, Finland, Germany, Belgium, Iceland, Slovakia, Poland, Netherlands, Hungary, Sweden, Norway, Turkey, Ireland, and Italy. This is similar to last year, when 13 countries sent just one athlete to Madison, WI.
The Big Picture
Since its humble beginnings in Santa Cruz, CA, more than 20 years ago, it’s fair to say CrossFit has become a global sport that is arguably still on the rise.
The upcoming Olympics in Paris might be represented by 200 countries this summer, but more than 10,000 athletes are slated to compete.
So, for the CrossFit Games to be represented by 25 different countries with a field of just 80 competitors, isn’t bad at all.
More 2024 CrossFit Games Coverage
- How to Watch the 2024 CrossFit Games
- 2024 CrossFit Games Will Feature New Movements, According to Dave Castro
- Our 4 Favorite Friday Night Lights Moments at the CrossFit Games
Featured image: @athleteseyephotography / Instagram