The Fittest Experience Invitational, the fifth of 10 IPQEs, is set for this weekend, May 16-18, in Oklahoma City, OK.
- Two more men and two more women will join the list of athletes headed to compete at the CrossFit Games in Albany, New York, this August.
While The Fittest Experience (TFX) has a long history, having hosted its inaugural event in 2008, this is the first time it serves as a qualifier for the Games.
Like Syndicate Crown and Brazil’s Copa Sur, TFX is one of the regional qualifiers, as only athletes residing in the former North America West region are eligible to compete.
- This was not true for the Mayhem Classic or the upcoming NorCal Classic.
How to watch: The Fittest Experience will have a livestream all weekend featuring commentary, analysis, and interviews by Chase Ingraham, Lauren Kalil, and Angelo DiCicco, along with Lauren Smith, fresh from WFP Tour Event I.
Remind me: Eighteen men and women will qualify for the CrossFit Games through ten In-Person Qualifying Events (IPQEs), and an additional 11 through the In-Affiliate Semifinals, which took place from May 1 to 4. A final spot on each side will be awarded in the online Last Chance Qualifier.
- The In-Affiliate Semifinals leaderboard remains unofficial, as video reviews will continue until May 19. However, a handful of athletes have received emails notifying them of verified scores and official invitations to the CrossFit Games.
Here are the 16 men and women who have officially secured their spots so far:
| Men | Women |
| Austin Hatfield (Mayhem Classic) | Fee Saghafi (Mayhem Classic) |
| Colten Mertens (Mayhem Classic) | Abbie Domit (Mayhem Classic) |
| Kalyan Souza (Copa Sur) | María Quintero (Copa Sur) |
| Henrique Moreira (Copa Sur) | Luiza Marques (Copa Sur) |
| Roman Khrennikov (Wodland Fest) | Lucy Campbell (Wodland Fest) |
| Moritz Fiebig (Wodland Fest) | Seung Yeon Choi (Wodland Fest) |
| Bronislaw Olenkowicz (French Throwdown) | Claudia Gluck (French Throwdown) |
| Calum Clements (French Throwdown) | Lucy McGonigle (French Throwdown) |
How They Qualified for Fittest Experience Invitational
The top 33 athletes from the North America West CrossFit Open leaderboard received invitations. Additionally, the three podium athletes from the TFX Championship in January qualified directly, bringing the total to 36 men and women.
Currently, the TFX leaderboard features 35 women and 36 men, although there have been notable withdrawals.
- James Sprague and Arielle Loewen secured their spots at the Games through the In-Affiliate Semifinals and will not compete in Oklahoma. Emily Rolfe, the 2024 Games Third Fittest, has also withdrawn due to injury.
- Katelyn Sanders, the winner of the TFX Championship, is also absent from the roster.
Who to Watch
Women
Olivia Kerstetter
Last year, Kerstetter competed at the West Coast Classic, missing a qualifying spot despite winning two events. Kerstetter has Games experience, having won Rookie of the Year in 2023.
Last weekend at the World Fitness Project, Kerstetter finished eighth in a stacked field with two second-place finishes along the way.
Trista Smith
Smith has multiple podium finishes in the Teen division at the Games.
- Like Kerstetter, she fell short of a qualifying spot at the West Coast Classic in 2024, finishing in 11th place.
This year, she placed third in the Open for the North America West region, ahead of elite competitors like Alex Gazan and Bethany Flores. Also like Kerstetter, this will be her third consecutive competition weekend.
Allison Scudds
Scudds has been vying for a spot in the Games for almost a decade, competing at the Semifinals level as an individual for nearly ten years.
In an interview with Scudds several months ago, she told the Morning Chalk Up that she had been focusing on her strength numbers and felt confident entering the season.
Rebecca Fuselier
She competed at the Games in 2022, delivering one of the most extraordinary moments in recent Games history in “The Capitol.” She has not returned in the last two years, narrowly missing out at the North America West Semifinals for two consecutive years.
Men
Chris Ibarra
A rookie at the 2024 Games, Ibarra finished 19th and aims to return this year.
- He currently sits one spot away from a Games qualifying position in the In-Affiliate Semifinals.
He and Olivia Kerstetter train together and often make side bets on who will win certain workouts during competitions.
Nick Mathew
Quarterfinal penalties cut Mathew’s season short in 2024. The two-time Games athlete aims for redemption this year.
Look for Mathew’s crop top on the podium in Oklahoma City.
Roldan Goldbaum
Goldbaum has accumulated competitive experience in both the Individual and Team Divisions.
- He placed eighth at the 2024 CrossFit Games with team Invictus Unconquerable. This year, he finished the CrossFit Open in an impressive third place in the North America West region.
Last weekend, he took third place in the Challenger Division at the WFP Tour Event I, outperforming Games athletes Jack Farlow, Jorge Fernandez, and Jack Rozema.
Bill Leahy
In a tragic moment at the 2024 West Coast Classic, Bill Leahy was leading the pack in his heat during the third workout when he suffered an Achilles rupture, which ended his season.
- After such a devastating injury, making the Games less than a year later would be improbable at best.
However, he has demonstrated that it is possible by finishing seventh in North America West in the Open and 19th in the In-Affiliate Semifinals. While lacking CrossFit Games experience, this would-be rookie has four years of Semifinals under his belt.
New Heavy Isabel Record?
Keep your eye on weightlifter EJ Hein, known for his jaw-dropping lifts.
He’s our pick to win Heavy Isabel. The question is, can he beat Jeff Adler’s blazing time of 3:19? As we know, top-end maxes do not always translate to many reps at moderate weight.
The Bottom Line
While some marquee names have dropped off the list of competitors, it has created space for eager athletes hungry to return to the Games or earn their ticket for the first time.
This weekend is bound to lead to exciting storylines.
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Featured Image: Scott Freymond
