The 2024 Dubai Fitness Championship is set to take place on December 6-8 in Dubai, UAE.
- Since its inaugural year back in 2012, the Dubai Fitness Championship has crowned winners like Annie Thorisdottir, Mat Fraser, Sam Briggs, Sara Sigmundsdottir, and Brent Fikowski.
In 2023, Roman Khrennikov topped the podium for the men, beating out Ricky Garard and Lazar Ðukić, while Karin Frey won for the second year in a row, besting Andrea Solberg and Claudia Gluck.
- In addition to offering generous payouts for competitors, the DFC has a legacy of challenging workouts and unique programming.
- 💰💰: First place takes home $50,000, and $2,000 bonuses are paid out for “best time,” “best lift,” “best newcomer,” and “best veteran.”
Over the years, we’ve seen moves like A-frame jumps, flying push-ups, and reverse-grip chest-to-bars. Then there are the DFC’s unique cardio events, which have featured athletes running over dunes, through an obstacle course, up an indoor ski slope, and climbing the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.
[Related: Best Bumper Plates]
It seems that Dubai, more than any competition, forces athletes to adapt on the fly, testing their athleticism while still showcasing skills like speed, strength, and stamina.
The event has used both an invitation-only format for its participants and an online qualifying system, which is the case this year.
2024 Dubai Fitness Championship Roster
Here is the list of the 28 men and women who qualified for the 2024 Dubai Fitness Championship.
Men
- Luka Ðukić
- Giorgos Karavis
- Moritz Fiebig
- Pedro Martins
- Benoit Boulanger
- Bronislaw Olenkowicz
- Luis Cuellar
- Lucas Heuze
- Miko Lilleorg
- Nikolas Saraliotis
- Andrev Fedotov
- Toby Buckland
- Tiago Luzes
- Alejandro de la Guardia Santana
- Michal Wesolowski
- Jan Arnd Finkenberg
- Iurii Marincenco
- Tola Morakinyo
- Victor Helsinkhof
- Anestis Artemis
- Jake Douglas
- Calum Clements
- Anthony Chevalier
- Ben Fowler
- Radosław Wręczycki
- Nika Maisuradze
- Gabi Castro
- Grzegorz MaraszKiewcz
Women
- Jamie Simmonds
- Andrea Solberg
- Elena Carratalá Sanahuja
- Gabi Migała
- Anikha Greer
- Elisa Fuliano
- Oda Lundekvam
- Nicole Heer
- Matilde Oyen Garnes
- Erica Ekelund
- Laura Clifton
- Vår Thurmann-Moe
- Kristin Holte
- Aline Wirz
- Maria Längfors
- Andra Moistus
- Linda Keesman
- Hannah Hardy
- Margaux Masset
- Susan Treppner
- Diana Pinchuk
- Maribel Gallardo
- Silvia Garcia
- Brittany Weiss
- Hanna Black
- Valentina Magalotti
- Emily de Rooy
- Gemma Hauck
Worth Noting
This will be Luka Ðukić’s first time competing since the European Semifinal, where he qualified for the CrossFit Games alongside his brother, Lazar. He is sitting in first place on the online qualifiers.
- Luka Ðukić withdrew from the 2024 CrossFit Games following Lazar’s death during the first event.
This won’t be Luka’s first time competing at DFC for Ðukić — he placed seventh in 2022 and ninth in 2021.
[Related: Best Weightlifting Belts]
Veteran Kristin Holte announced her retirement after finishing fourth at the CrossFit Games in 2021. That year, she was eligible for the Masters Division at 35 years old, although she competed as an individual. She continued to participate in the Open and was part of Team Kriger at TYR Wodapalooza in 2022.
This will be her first time on the competition floor as an individual since the 2021 Games.
Last year, young athletes Claudia Gluck (third) and Aniol Ekai (fifth) finished in the top five. Later that season, both competitors qualified for the CrossFit Games as rookies. Many eyes will be on the final leaderboard this year as we speculate who could be the next up-and-comers.
- The competition is missing Roman Khrennikov, Ricky Garard, and Karin Frey, all three of whom have taken the podium multiple times over the past few years.
The most notable absence will be that of Lazar Ðukić, as his presence was a large one at DFC.
He participated in the event since 2018, competing every year in that time. His highest placing was in 2021, when he finished second to Khrennikov.
More CrossFit Stories
- “It’s Time to Fan the Flame”: Lena Richter Lights a Spark in Huntington Beach
- Meet the Man Who Did 1,000 Murphs
- From Weightlifting to Gym Ownership: Meet Two-Time Olympian and CrossFit Affiliate Owner Wes Kitts
Featured image: @dxbfitnesschamp / Instagram