CrossFit Games Semifinals Day 1 Opens in North America West

POWERED BY:

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

• Jamie Hagiya last competed as an individual at the CrossFit Games in 2016 in Carson, CA. Eight years later, she’s back.

• The CrossFit community will come together and take on the hero workout Murph soon. In his column today, John Wooley urges athletes doing the workout to take the opportunity to drown out the noise, honor their heroes, and search for truth.

• Shaun Gardner set a goal to complete 21 rounds of Murph in 24 hours this weekend to raise money for WarriorWOD. Learn how to join him or donate below.

• Our 2024 CrossFit Games North America West Semifinal leaderboard page is live! Check back often, as this leaderboard will update in real-time throughout the competition.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“It was a shock; I felt that this couldn't be right — I hadn't competed in six years. My first in-person competition in a long time would be with all these amazing Games contenders.” - Jamie Hagiya on finding out that she had qualified for the North America West Semifinal

Profile

Semifinals Spotlight: Jamie Hagiya Returns to Carson for Her Surprising Comeback Bid

The last time Jamie Hagiya was in the “tennis stadium,” it was called the StubHub Center and she was doing peg board ascents and thrusters during the final event of the 2016 CrossFit Games. 

• It was her only year competing as an individual athlete at the Games, and the California native finished in 18th place.

Hagiya’s path to CrossFit happened like it did for many people — as something for a former collegiate athlete to do. 

• “I grew up in Southern California. I went to the University of Southern California for college, played basketball there, and then played a little overseas.” Hagiya told the Morning Chalk Up in an interview. 

• “Before I hung up my basketball shoes for good, I tried out for the Los Angeles Sparks, and when I didn’t make the team, I ran a clinic for them where a guy approached me and told me he owned a CrossFit gym.”

The man told Hagiya she would be great at the sport, so the following week, she went to check it out. The rest, as they say, is history.

Looking Back

That was in 2011 when CrossFit was in its infancy. Hagiya qualified for Regionals in her first year in 2012, but an injury kept her out of the competition. She made her competitive debut in 2013, finishing in fifth place in the ultra-competitive Southern California Regional.

• “The first year I went, I don’t know how I found myself in the final heat,” she said. “I was lined up next to Kris Clever, Becca Voigt, and Lindsay Valenzuela — I thought, what am I doing here? There were lunges in the event, and I had to borrow someone’s knee sleeves from the crowd because I had nothing. I didn’t know what I was doing, but everyone was so nice.”

A MESSAGE FROM CROSSFIT INVICTUS

CrossFit Invictus Launches Affiliate Programming

CrossFit Invictus has been providing health and fitness excellence in coaching and programming for over 15 years.

With their upcoming launch of the Invictus Affiliate Programming, gym owners can now bring that same level of excellence to their box and community. 

Designed with the idea that there is no one size fits all method when it comes to programming, Invictus Affiliate Programming will be fully customizable to all fitness levels.

Invictus Affiliate will grant access to: 

• Whiteboard video briefs with Invictus coaches discussing the programming for the day and the intention behind the programming

• Coaching notes and customization options 

• Exclusive deals with Invictus partners 

• Discounts on Invictus University coaching cohorts for you and your staff 

• Invictus Affiliate exclusive events 

Join now to be a member of the Invictus Founders Club! The Founders Club includes EXCLUSIVE offers and FREE products from: LSKD, Momentous, Roka, Haven Athletic bags, Invictus Affiliate Summit, Invictus University, and Morning Chalk Up.

This offer is only available to the first 50 gyms to subscribe.

SPEED READS

📖✍️ CrossFit released an official response to questions surrounding the injuries to Rebecka Vitesson and Margaux Masset.

• Adrian Bozman, Competition Director, from the statement: “First, we want to acknowledge that the initial response time from the medical team was unacceptable. Our team promptly discussed mandatory changes with the arena’s medical staff. Those changes were incorporated immediately and continued throughout the remainder of the competition.”

• Read more.

🇦🇺💪 Mom Strength! Can Aussie mom Erika Palasty pull off a major upset and secure her first-ever spot in the CrossFit Games field? Learn more.

👬👭 The 2024 CrossFit Games Semifinals are off and running in Oceania and soon North America West. In case you missed it, here’s our 2024 CrossFit Games Team Semifinal Preview for Week 2.

🧑‍💻👩‍💻 CrossFit HQ is Hiring: CrossFit LLC is currently advertising six positions in IT, including several senior engineers in DevOps and software, as well as additional positions in marketing.

🏳️‍🌈💛 Reebok Unveils “Unity by Reebok” for 2024 Pride: The collection, according to Reebok, “features expressive and colorful graphics inspired by the traditional tie-dyed garments seen within Pride parades across the globe, plus apparel featuring the collection’s mantra: ‘For Anybody and Everybody.’”

• Check out the full line and grab some new kicks and other gear as Reebok also pledged to donate $10,000 to The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY)!

🏆 TYR Wodapalooza Drops TYR Cup Details: The team at Loud and Live is dropping more info about the inaugural event this Fall. Stay in the know below:

• With more details out in the world, the TYR Cup crew posted this hype video laying out everything you need to know. Check it out now!

• The prize purse for the event will be $250,000, broken down as follows:

  • TYR Cup Champs: $160k per team

    Runner-ups: $40k per team

    MVP: $10k - Awarded to the individual with the greatest singular positive impact on their team’s success.

    The remaining $40k will be shared across the remaining division champs.

🏋️‍♀️📋 Training Camp Semifinalists: Several prominent training camps have dropped full rosters of their Semifinal-qualifying athletes. Check out the lists now:

• Underdogs Athletics | PRVN Fitness | HWPO Training

• Brute Strength | Training Think Tank | Invictus Masters

• Mayhem Athlete | Drop us a note and we’ll add yours.

ICYMI: How long does it take to make it to the CrossFit Games? The answer might surprise you.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Murph and the Search for Truth

Memorial Day is upon us in the United States, and for CrossFitters, that means we can all expect to see one workout programmed for sure.

“Murph”

1-Mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Air Squats
1-Mile Run 

I love Murph. 

It was one of the first workouts I attempted when I joined a CrossFit box more than a decade ago. 

It defined “Forging Elite Fitness” for me. 

I have performed this workout virtually every way it can be done once a year over that decade-plus. 

Looking back, I think the consistency of performing Murph every year has taught me one of the most valuable life lessons, and it’s likely not what you would expect.

It has taught me the importance of truth.

For most people, Murph is a community event where we all get together to remember those who’ve sacrificed all for the greater good with our own sweat and blood.

It’s a moment to suffer together and do something difficult to honor those who came before us. For that reason, it is probably my favorite community event, but it has taught me so much more.

Over the past decade, I have meticulously tracked my performance and data points. I’ve done Half Murph, Full Murph with and without a vest, Murph partitioned and unpartitioned, and a few other crazy ways I won’t bore you with here. 

A MESSAGE FROM MAJOR FITNESS

Built tougher than your toughest workout, MAJOR FITNESS barbells scoff at weakness. Seriously, it's like if your sweat and determination had a baby... that turned out to be a barbell.

Perfect for fast movements, quick transitions, and heavy lifts. And with a 750lb weight capacity, it's ready to handle anything you can throw at it (or drop on it).

Grab yours today and lift like a legend.

COMMUNITY

Shaun Gardner Takes on 24 Hours of Murph to Raise Money for Vets

After Shaun Gardner left the Army in 2011, he wanted a way to give back. 

He found what he needed when he met Phil Palmer, the founder of WarriorWOD, last November. 

• WarriorWOD aims to heal veterans’ unseen wounds through exercise, nutrition, and mentorship.  

The organization helps provide veterans with the quality of life they deserve by prioritizing their fitness to aid in recovery from mental and physical wounds.

Gardner knew immediately this was what he was looking for, so he signed up to be a mentor. In the WarriorWOD program, mentors are called “Battle Buddies,” but the term encompasses more than a simple title.

• “It’s normal in the military to always have a battle buddy,” Gardner tells the Morning Chalk Up in an interview. “Nothing is ever done by yourself. You've always got somebody else with you for safety, accountability, and all that important stuff.”

CROSSFIT SEMIFINALS

2024 CrossFit Games North America West Semifinal Results and Leaderboard

The 2024 CrossFit Games Semifinals will hit the first of two stops in North America this week. The North America West Semifinal by West Coast Classic takes place May 24-26 at the Dignity Health Park Sports Center in Carson, CA.

• Resources: North America West Preview and How to Watch.

2024 CrossFit Games North America West Semifinal by West Coast Classic Live Leaderboard

Below, you’ll find the top 10 athletes ranked by 2024 Quarterfinal finish.

1. Justin Medeiros | Alex Gazan

2. Brandon Luckett | Abigail Domit

3. Samuel Kwant | Emily Rolfe

4. Cole Greashaber | Arielle Loewen

5. Zachery Buntin | Rebecca Fuselier

6. Tudor Magda | Hattie Kanyo

7. Brent Fikowski | Gabrielle Spenst

8. James Sprague | Devyn Kim

9. Colten Mertens | Olivia Kerstetter

10. Cole Sager | Nicole Mghenyi

HIGHLIGHTS

Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise? Send us a tip.

• Happy birthday to Aimee Cringle.

• Happy birthday to Joao Guerreriro.

• Great job to Kevin Ogar, putting in some heavy med-ball work.

• Congratulations to Games veteran Bjorgvin Karl Gudmundsson, who qualified for his 11th CrossFit Games from the European Semifinal.

• Great work to Gael from HOC CrossFit in France on the 120-kilo/264-pound clean grip snatch.