So Close, Yet So Far: Elite Athletes Left Out of the CrossFit Games After Semifinals

While some are preparing mentally for the final push to become the Fittest on Earth, others are not as happy with the end of the Semifinals. Check out this list of notable athletes who will not be competing at the CrossFit Games that shocked us all.

We know not everyone can make it to the Games. And we are also very happy and excited to see 23 new faces of athletes competing at the CrossFit Games for the first time in their lives.

However, Semifinals did not go according to plan to other athletes that are considered by many, including us, notable – so much that it was a bit of a surprise to see them performing during the weekend and not punch their ticket to another CrossFit Games.

In the list below, we have selected 26 athletes that we thought would make it to the Games this year. Yes, we know, this can be highly subjective, but we took into consideration athletes who have been to two or more Games, or, in some minor cases, those who had a good momentum and were hyped throughout the year until this point.

26 Elite Athletes Left Out of the CrossFit Games Post Semifinals

We divided the list into Semifinals, plus also written down which placement they finished in their respective Semifinals.

Europe men:

• Uldis Upenieks (Latvia) — 11th
• Jonne Koski (Finland) — 13th
• Fabian Beneito (Spain) — 15th
• Bronisław Olenkowicz (Poland) — 20th
• Michał Wesolowski (Poland) — 27th
• Giorgos Karavis (Greece) – 23rd

Europe Women:

• Manon Angonese (Belgium) – 15^th
• Thuridur Helgadottir (Iceland) – 16^th
• Elena Carratala Sanahuja (Spain) – 27^th
• Rebecka Vitesson (Sweden) – 35^th

Of all athletes who didn’t make the cut to the CrossFit Games, undoubtedly the most shocking one of all is Jonne Koski. He has been to the Games every year since 2014 (except 2018) and just last year finished 6^th overall. If that is not reason enough, how about the fact that he won the CrossFit Open and Quarterfinals this year.

Although it is safe to assume something went wrong, perhaps an injury, Koski did not provide much detail except that he just “couldn’t deliver.”

On the women’s division, the most surprising athlete not to make it was arguably Thuridur Helgadottir. She has been to the Games 7 times as an individual athlete (once in a team).

Asia Men:

• Ant Haynes (China) – 14^th

Oceania Men:

• Jake Douglas (Australia) – 13^th

North America West Men:

• Tudor Magda (USA) – 10^th
• Colten Mertens (USA) – 11^th

North America West Women:

• Olivia Kerstetter (USA) – 9^th
• Sydney Michalyshen (Canada) – 12^th

Okay, we know, Olivia Kerstetter has only been to the Games once as an individual athlete. But listen to us, she’s made her debut last year, the first time she venture outside the teen competition (yes, she is 18 years old right now). So it is shocking she didn’t get through, but that is only because the cut line for women at the North America West was only 8. So close, yet so far.

Similar to Kerstetter is Tudor Magda’s trajectory in the Sport. Last year he did his debut, but he’s been at the Games as a teen three times, winning gold medal in 2018. Colten Mertens is going to miss his chance at the CrossFit Games for the first time in four years.

North America East Men:

• Tyler Christophel (USA) – 14^th
• Alex Vigneault (Canada) – 16^th
• Jack Farlow (Canada) – 17^th
• Spencer Panchik (USA) – 20^th
• Ben Smith (USA) – 25^th
• Will Moorad (USA) – 36^th (withdrawn)

Ben Smith might be the most famous name in the bunch here, but it was Will Moorad’s fail to make to the Games that shocked us more – a hip injury during event 2 forced him to throw the towel and postpone his chance to compete at his 6^th Games.

North America East Women:

• Amanda Barnhart (USA) – 14^th
• Feeroozeh Saghafi (USA) – 16^th
• Carolyne Prevost (Canada) – 26^th

Another one that probably shocked everyone was Amanda Barnhart. The American engine has been to the Games every year since 2018. Three bad event placements put her 13 points away from qualifying to the CrossFit Games this time around.

South America Men:

• Agustin Richelme (Argentina) – 11^th

Agustin Richelme might not be the most famous name in this list, but he is a celebrity in Argentina. After three Games under his belt, the competition was fierce, but the incredible part was him placing 11^th, his worst as of yet.

It was an exciting three weekend packed with action with athletes competing to get an invitation to the CrossFit Games. If you missed out on the action of the Semifinals, you can check out all the Livestream made available on this link here.

After all the dust has settled, all 80 individual athletes (40 men and 40 women) will be competing at the CrossFit Games, which takes place on August 8-11 in Fort Worth, Texas.