I participated in my first Crossfit Open in 2022, and it was one of the most challenging experiences I've ever had. Despite this, I'm fully committed to continuing to compete in this sport for many years to come. The reason for this is simple: CrossFit demands nothing less than 100% effort on your skill, strength, fitness and focus, that's exactly why I love it.
During this years competition, I pushed my body to the limitand was proud of my performance. However, I know that I have the potential to do even better in 2024. To achieve this, I'm committed to never cutting corners when it comes to recovery, training, and nutrition. I believe that every moment of discipline is worth it, and I embrace the process with enthusiasm.
This year's Crossfit Open was my second time participating, and it was once again a challenge. The most difficult part was on the final day when I had to tackle double unders. These proved to be just as difficult as last year, and I realised that I hadn't put in enough effort to improve my skills. Nevertheless, I gave it my all and made some progress compared to last year. Although the exercises were different, I did manage to achieve a personal best on the second day by lifting 85kg for a 1 RM Thruster. Knowing I weigh 79kg was a nice feeling I can achieve this weight in a full body movement.
When I checked the leader board, I found that my performance was similar to last year, which was reassuring given the increase in the number of participants this year. In fact, there were an additional 6,522 men who took part in the competition worldwide, and 183 of them were in the 35-39 age category. Both years I have been in the top 36-39% or 61-64 percentile if your in America, I'm very pleased with those results as I've always trained by myself. This year I'll be joining the Chester Crossfit Box most weeks to be more involved with the sport so I can improve.
All in all, participating in the Crossfit Open has been an incredible experience for me. It has taught me the value of discipline and hard work, and has shown me that I'm capable of achieving more than I ever thought possible. I'm excited to continue on this journey and see where it takes me in the years to come.