The Last Chance Qualifier is Almost Here — Who’s Going to the Games?
June 29, 2021
Written by admin in Training,
4 minute read One of the many changes made to the 2021 competitive season was the addition of the Last Chance Qualifier. Athletes who just narrowly missed qualifying for the CrossFit Games at a Semifinal event will get one final shot at making the cut. 76 people have already confirmed their tickets to the Games; only four more will round it out to 80 using the Last Chance Qualifier.
So, between July 2 and July 4, the leaderboard will reset and athletes will compete in four events. The top two men and women will advance to the Games, taking place in Madison between July 27 and August 1.
From the Oceania region, this includes Australia’s James Newbury and Khan Porter, who placed 4th and 6th at the Torian Pro, respectively. Both athletes have trained hard to get this far, and we know that the Last Chance Qualifier is going to be another amazing opportunity for them to really shine.
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CrossFit has released the events for the Last Chance Qualifier, and we’re looking at elements like rowing, max deadlifts, burpees for time (and to a target — ouch), and legless rope climbs. We didn’t expect it to be easy. After all, we’re trying to find the fittest man and woman on earth. But… wow. We hope these athletes are ready for the burn!
The Last Chance Qualifier was just one adjustment made to the 2021 season. CrossFit is under the leadership of a new CEO. We also saw the introduction of Quarterfinals. Plus, with the COVID-19 pandemic and everything temporarily shut down in the past, much of the preparation and lead-up was moved to a virtual environment, which understandably involved dealing with a lot of confusing logistics.
There was a point over the last year when we weren’t even sure that the Games were going to happen this year. At the time, nobody knew if it would be safe or even feasible. But here we are, finalizing the list of competitors and getting ready for what promises to be another adrenaline-pumping Games event. (Oh, and with Mat Fraser having retired, who do you think stands the best chance for a podium finish on the men’s side?)
The 2021 Games promises to be unlike any event we’ve seen in the past.
Good luck to Khan, James, and all of the other competitors attending the Last Chance Qualifier! Give it all you’ve got, have some fun, and be proud of how far you’ve come.
