Everyone who was pumped to see James Hobart’s triumphant return to CrossFit Regionals will have to wait a little longer. Or maybe they’ll never see it at all, who knows, but James Hobart is officially out of this year’s CrossFit Regionals after breaking a bone in his right foot.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi5BAewh2pz/?hl=en
He hasn’t mentioned it on his Instagram, but CrossFit Photo Journal made the announcement with a picture of Hobart’s foot in an orthotic boot with the following caption,
@jameshobart is officially out of the #EastRegional. Hobart broke the fifth metatarsal of his right foot kicking out of a handstand walk over some stacks of plates. He tried to run it off, but it didn’t feel great. The next day, it was worse. “I woke up and my foot was like an eggplant.”
[Austin Malleolo] has seen the foot without the boot and was more blunt: “It’s f*cking gross.”
Hobart is taking the injury in stride, and he’s looking at the big picture. “If this had happened 4 years ago, I’d probably be an emotional wreck. … My life is pretty full right now and doesn’t change if I don’t get to work out at Regionals.”
So, nobody is saying he’s out of the CrossFit Games just yet, but it seems extremely likely. A broken metatarsal bone takes at least six weeks to heal and yes, while the Games are about ten weeks away, you’re supposed to finish the Regionals in order to get invited to the Games. It’s technically possible for him to receive an at-large invite without having gone to Regionals, but it’s incredibly unlikely. It seems like James Hobart is out.
It’s a shame because the man is a true fixture of the sport, having competed at eight CrossFit Games. He hasn’t competed as an individual in four years and didn’t compete at all last year, and when he announced a return to competition this year we were pretty stoked.
Alas, it wasn’t to be. Heal up, Mr. Hobart.
Featured image via @ltevebaugh and @jameshobart on Instagram.