One of the most decorated women in our sport, Laura Horváth has held multiple titles in recent years: two-time Rogue Invitational champion, 2024 French Throwdown champion, 2023 TYR Wodapalooza team champion, and 2023 Fittest Woman on Earth.
While watching her run with a 485-pound yoke, effortlessly flip a 350-pound “Pig,” and rep out 125-pound sandbag squats, one can recognize in Horváth a very different breed of athlete.
Insurmountable grit, poise, and determination define her as a competitor.
Leading by Action
Racing through a snatch ladder at the 2024 French Throwdown in Adidas Spezials, arriving at athlete check-in at Fort Worth in a diamond-patterned denim Adidas set, and walking out on the 2024 CrossFit Games, Horváth has never been one to roll with the tide.
She answers to herself, to her own heart, embracing her unique sense of self.
- “I never wanted to stand out or anything. It’s not like I think, ‘I want to be different,’ it’s just what comes out,” Horváth told Morning Chalk Up.
This confidence and assuredness in her identity as a person, an athlete, and a professional has set Horváth apart.
Partnerships That Align
Not only because of her titles and athletic talents does Horváth stand out, but her brand partnerships are unique compared to fellow athletes in CrossFit.
Two of her sponsors are iconic giants Red Bull and Adidas, industry leaders, and innovators with decades of experience in the sports industry. The fact that Horvath has signed agreements with them speaks to her identity as an innovator and an athlete forging her own path—aligning with a company’s ethos but also the people behind the brand.
Horváth shared that these brands were two that she and Kristóf (her brother and manager) looked up to as children, watching Red Bull athletes clad in branded helmets competing in rock climbing and skiing.
- “I think this was always something – I always wanted to be part of that community and realizing that achievement – being on their team, with the help of Kristóf, was a very big milestone for us,” Horváth shared.
Along with her recent partnership with jeweler David Perry, Horváth is paving the way in her alignment with non-endemic CrossFit brands.
She feels secure in these relationships because of their reputation and legacies.
- “Partnering with the brands that are closer to CrossFit, since CrossFit is so unreliable currently, the brands may also be unreliable currently. So when you work with a big company like Adidas, you know you’ll be taken care of,” she said.
Horváth is trying to lead, not follow, she shared. And this comes into play with the brands she chooses to work with. Her collaboration with David Perry, she and Kristóf thought, was unique for competitive fitness athletes, for example.
Not only are these partnerships supporting her career currently, but she sees a long-term future with them, even beyond competitive fitness.
The 2025 Season
Horváth laid out her season for us, with the World Fitness Project, Tour Event I in Indianapolis, IN, next on the docket. Horvath was the last athlete announced as part of the Pro roster and perhaps the most anticipated.
We asked her how her role in the World Fitness Project came to be.
- “It came very naturally, to be honest. I knew from the get-go that if there were no changes, then I wouldn’t necessarily take part in the (CrossFit) season this year, so I was OK with my decision. I was going to be training for Rogue, maybe Dubai or (TYR) Wodapalooza again, or find competitions that I would like to take part in,” Horváth said.
She said that they reached out to Kristóf, and the conversation began. All parties shared their visions and determined whether they were in alignment. Horvath expressed that she’s very much looking forward to the WFP season.
- “It’s going to be an amazing event series that hopefully grows into even more over the next couple of years. I think what they’re doing is amazing,” Horváth said.
One aspect that sets the WFP apart is that veteran competitor Will Moorad is at the helm. We asked Horváth if she thinks this difference is significant.
- “It’s definitely more connected with the athletes, and he understands more. He’s been through it at the Games and other comps as well, so he knows what was missing (for him) and what needs to be fixed or made better,” she said.
Kristóf added that Horváth’s partnership with the WFP is based on a shared understanding, values, and vision, like her brand relationships. The siblings look to Horváth’s partnerships as opportunities for her to make an impact—not only by influencing how the companies treat athletes but also by investing back into the sport of fitness.
One of the many things that WFP has done right, Kristóf feels, is focusing on the athletes and letting them be the faces of the brand.
- “This is where the focus should be, on the athletes … highlight these amazing athletes and give them a platform. Because if their platform goes, then they’re not going to be able to represent the sport and draw in more people,” Kristóf said.
Horváth’s season will continue after Indianapolis onto WFP Tour Event II in Phoenix in August, the Rogue Invitational in October, and the WFP final in Copenhagen, Denmark.
If the dates align with her schedule and other commitments, she will also compete at the European Championship in weightlifting in Moldova and the World Weightlifting Championship in Bahrain.
At the end of our conversation, she shared that, looking forward, she has some big goals she seeks to accomplish in the sport of fitness. We asked if they are anything she was willing to share at this time.
- She thought for a moment. “Not now,” she replied with a subtle smile, “maybe later down the line.”
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Featured Image: Seb Vallejo (Given to me by Kristóf)
