Alex Gazan, a top contender for a 2025 podium finish, is withdrawing from next month’s CrossFit Games in Albany, NY.
- “While my recovery is making great progress, it’s just not enough to get me to and through the Games in a safe manner. Justin [Cotler] and I agreed that for my health and longevity, withdrawing is what makes the most sense,” Gazan posted on Instagram Sunday.
Remind me: Two days after winning the Northern California Classic In-Person Qualifying Event in June, Gazan was involved in a car accident while on a road trip with her husband in California and sustained a fractured fibula.
- At the time, it looked as though there still might be a glimmer of hope that she would recover in time to compete at the Games, but her injury is taking longer than expected to heal, she told The Morning Chalk Up.
Gazan is still hopeful she might be able to compete at the World Fitness Project’s Tour Event II at the end of August in Phoenix, AZ.
The big picture: Gazan, a three-time Games veteran, had lofty goals heading into this year’s Games and the WFP. She was fitter than ever, and Cotler believed she could win both.
After winning the WFP’s Tour Event I and cruising to victory at the Northern California Classic, Gazan was on track. Needless to say, her injury is a huge setback for what was shaping up to be her best season yet.
Gazan admits it has been a difficult pill to swallow, but she’s doing her best to stay positive.
- “I definitely have days and moments where I’m sad and disappointed. We worked so hard this year, and I finally felt like I was turning into the athlete that Justin [Cotler] and others believed I could be,” Gazan told The Morning Chalk Up.
She added, “But for the most part, I am in good spirits. I am trying to find all the silver linings that I can. Since I’m not as exhausted from training all the time, I have more time to do normal things. I’m sleeping a lot better, too, than when I train intensely.”
At just 23 years old, Gazan knows she still has a long career ahead of her to bounce back from this bump in the road.
- “I know I will come out of this stronger,” she said.
According to CrossFit’s 2025 Games rulebook (Rule 5.02): “If an athlete declines their invitation to compete at the Games, their spot may be backfilled to the next eligible athlete. Backfills will be selected from the original competition, the athlete earned their Games invite as described in Section 3.01… CrossFit will not backfill for athletes who do not officially decline their invitation.
- This means Gazan’s Games spot will next be offered to Carolyne Prevost, the third-place finisher at the NorCal Classic. The Canadian last competed at the Games in 2023, where she took 23rd place. Her career-best finish was in 2019, her rookie year, when she finished 12th.
Prevost also won the Age Group In-Affiliate Semifinals in the 35-39 division this year.
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Featured image: Ava Kitzi
