Swiss athlete Mirjam von Rohr burst onto the CrossFit scene last year, captivating thousands with a first-place finish worldwide in the Open.
Well, she has done it again: Von Rohr clinched the 2025 CrossFit Open with two event victories right out of the gate.
The former elite HYROX athlete has gone all in on CrossFit in hopes of qualifying for the CrossFit Games this year. Although she may still be considered a rookie in the sport, her performances prove she’s a standout athlete, especially during a season marked by significant changes.
Remind Me
Von Rohr won the 2024 CrossFit Open and advanced to the Quarterfinals, where she placed 38th. She subsequently competed in the European Semifinal, finishing just eight spots outside a qualifying position.
- “One of my main challenges is my lack of experience competing against other elite athletes,” von Rohr told the Morning Chalk Up in an interview. “Being relatively new to this level of competition, I’m still learning how to manage my pacing and when to push during high-stakes events.”
Her only goal for the Open this year was to place in the top 1% and qualify for the Semifinals. Unlike last season, there is no Quarterfinals stage, so athletes had to give their all in the Open to have a chance at the final stage before the Games.
- “When I won the first two Open workouts, I started to think it would be amazing to win the entire Open, just like last year. That goal only emerged after the first two workouts. It motivated me to give my absolute best in the final workout,” von Rohr said.
Von Rohr’s training before the Open didn’t involve much conditioning or Open-style workouts, as her focus has been on her weaknesses: weightlifting and strength.
Notably, von Rohr programs for herself and regularly attends CrossFit and weightlifting classes at her local affiliate, CrossFit Öuf, in Zuchwil. When approaching a competition, she often does her own workouts that are more specifically tailored to the event.
- “When it comes to training planning — intensity, volume, what I train, how I structure my season, which competitions I participate in, and how I peak at the right time to perform at my best on competition day — I have been managing everything myself for years,” she said.
Her hiatus from CrossFit in 2023 stemmed from her success in the fitness racing sport HYROX. She won the HYROX European Championship in 2022 and focused on qualifying for the World Championships in 2023, training exclusively for HYROX.
Since last year, von Rohr has decided to focus primarily on CrossFit training, but her “day job” still revolves around HYROX.
- “In the HYROX field, I coach seminars in Switzerland and help athletes prepare for their first HYROX competition or improve their performance. Additionally, I work at a HYROX gym, where I coach training sessions,” von Rohr said.
Outside of her work and training, von Rohr is focusing on her recovery, which she feels she has not prioritized in the past.
- “For me, this allows me to make more progress even with fewer training hours. I think this is an important lesson for many athletes: sometimes, less is more. The quality of training matters most,” von Rohr said.
She strives to maximize her training by turning workouts into challenges. In the past, she has completed numerous challenges, such as a two-hour wall sit and 1,000 wall balls for time.
The Bottom Line
The Semifinals for individuals start on May 1.
Some athletes will compete in the In-Affiliate (online) Semifinals, while others will participate in one of ten In-Person Qualifying Events around the world.
Von Rohr intends to compete in the In-Affiliate event, where 11 spots are available worldwide.
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Featured Image: @crossfitouf and @mirjam_v.r / Instagram
