Eight hundred and twenty-four athletes. 36 countries.
The largest International Functional Fitness Federation (iF3) event in history is set for this weekend, December 13-15, in Budapest, Hungary.
- Athletes will take on six functional fitness tests, culminating in new 2024 World Champions being crowned.
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Remind Me
The International Functional Fitness Federation held its first World Championship in 2017 in California.
- The winners of the inaugural competition were Tola Morakinyo from the United States, Camilla Salomonsson Hellman from Sweden, and Team USA.
Every iF3 championship event includes six categories of tests:
- Endurance
- Strength
- Bodyweight
- Skill
- Mixed
- Power
The standardization ensures a well-rounded test of fitness in a manageable amount of workouts.
What’s New in 2024?
Typically, the Masters and Juniors have their own championship events separate from the Open Elite division (referred to as the “Senior” division in iF3), the 19-20 Age Group, and Teams.
- In 2024, in honor of the Olympic year, all the divisions are combined to create the “Super Worlds.”
The age divisions span from under 12 to 65+, bringing multiple generations of athletes together in a massive event.
In the Senior division, 66 men and 52 women will contend for the championship. Twelve countries are also sending a team of four (two men and two women) for the Team division.
- Saudi Arabia is the one country outside of Europe that is sending a team.
Team Norway is back to defend their title, which they won on their home turf in 2023.
Athletes to Watch
Matilde Garnes
Keep an eye on the reigning iF3 world champion from Norway — she has been busy recently, taking third place at the Dubai Fitness Championship.
Mirjam Von Rohr
Switzerland’s Mirjam Von Rohr finished second to Garnes at the 2023 iF3 World Championship.
- A few months later, she pulled off an incredible feat by winning the 2024 CrossFit Open. The professional Hyrox athlete is a top contender and will be striving for the podium once again.
Camilla Salomonsson Hellman
The Swede won the first-ever World Championship in 2017 and is still a force to be reckoned with.
- She placed third last year in Norway and could return to the podium again in 2024.
Colin Bosshard
Last year’s male champion is back to defend his title in 2024.
- The Swiss athlete finished 14th at the European Semifinal earlier this year, just four spots out of qualifying for the CrossFit Games.
He competed last weekend on Team Europe at FitFest in the UK.
Jack Rozema
Jack Rozema is coming off his first CrossFit Games appearance this summer, where he finished in 25th place.
- The former collegiate wrestler currently serves in the U.S. Army and is looking to add a world championship to his resume.
Dark horse: Watch out for Cale Layman, another American looking to do damage this weekend. He finished 7th in the CrossFit Open this year, one spot ahead of Jeffrey Adler.
Country Representation
Each participating country can send up to three athletes in each division, with the qualification process unique to each country’s federation.
Of the 36 countries represented in Budapest, Sweden leads the way with 79 athletes. The United States is in 12th place with 30 athletes.
The top five countries are:
- Sweden: 79
- Norway: 73
- Hungary: 69 (Host nation)
- Germany: 63
- Finland: 44
The Bottom Line
The iF3 World Championship is one of the premier events for many athletes around the world.
The federation continues to grow competitive functional fitness globally positively and transparently, with the ultimate goal of one day becoming an Olympic sport.
The 2024 Super Worlds will give 824 athletes the opportunity to showcase their functional fitness while representing their country.
Details on the livestream of the Super Worlds are coming soon here.
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Featured image: @matildegarnes / Instagram
