The 2013 CrossFit Games Winner will not be forgotten in 2016. Sam Briggs has arrived.
After reaching out to the CrossFit community via her Instagram for some help with ongoing visa issues, Briggs successfully entered the United States…just in time to get registered for the 2016 CrossFit Games. She literally arrived on the last possible registration day, officially cementing herself as a five time CrossFit Games competitor.
While Briggs says she’s been training as if she was going to make it to the Games, only time will tell how the delay affects her performance. Other athletes have been training in California for at least a week, with some athletes spending the past month in SoCal. For all athletes, but especially those coming from abroad, the time spent training at the right elevation and climate, as well as adjusting to the time difference, is invaluable for these athletes. The latest research says it can take up to one day for every hour the clock shifts, which means it could be over a week before Briggs fully adjust to the eight hour time difference between Cali and the UK.
But if there’s one thing we know about Sam Briggs, its that she’s likely one of the most resilient, determined, and toughest humans on the planet. Her competitors shouldn’t rule her out just because of her situation. If anything, her competitors should probably be a little bit more worried because Briggs thrives as an underdog, as evidenced by her fight from the bottom of the leaderboard to the top during the 2016 Meridian Regionals.
Also, this may be Briggs’ last year competing as an individual. She has absolutely nothing to lose by going (wall)balls to the wall(balls). A jet-lagged Sam Briggs is still pretty damn scary Sam Briggs.
Let the Games begin!
