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- 🏆 Inside Laura Horvath’s Wild 2026 Season
🏆 Inside Laura Horvath’s Wild 2026 Season
Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.
In today’s edition:
👑 Laura Horvath’s 2026 season is loaded, from her recent film premiere to fitness racing to a WFP title defense.
🏋️♂️ Meet the founders of the ATHX Games, building a new lane in hybrid fitness competition.
🚨 New shoe alert — Nike drops the Free Metcon 7.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
I like the Echo Bike a lot. I think it's just, like, one domain, and, like, you can really hurt on the Echo Bike. It's just really – how bad do you want it?”
PROFILE
Documentary Drop, HYROX Debut, and a Title to Defend: Inside Laura Horvath's 2026 Season
Credit: Red Bull
In 2018, Hungary’s Laura Horvath took second place at the European Regional, qualifying her for her first CrossFit Games.
She competed in Madison, racking up seven top-five finishes, two event wins, and a second-place finish overall. She was 21 years old, and from that weekend on, everyone in the sport knew her name.
Over the past 8 years, Horvath has become one of the winningest athletes in competitive fitness, racking up wins at Wodapalooza, the Rogue Invitational, the 2023 CrossFit Games, and the 2025 World Fitness Project (WFP).
Just days ago, Horvath’s Red Bull documentary, TogetherWe Rise, was released at the live premiere in her hometown of Budapest, Hungary, and on Red Bull TV and YouTube. The film highlights Horvath’s career, with an emphasis on last year’s WFP season, and the multiple roles she juggles daily: athlete, gym owner, coach, friend, sister, and daughter.
SPEED READS
🎟️🔥 Games Tickets Are Live: The 2026 CrossFit Games tickets are now available to the public — with the action heading to San Jose this July.
🧠⚡ Build the Athlete, Not the Skill: This recent CrossFit article by Stephane Rochet argues the gym shouldn’t mimic your sport — it should build the engine behind it. Strength, speed, endurance, and coordination transfer across all sports, while sport skills are developed on the field.
🏃♂️👶 HYROX Kids: HYROX Youngstars is making its U.S. debut, bringing fitness racing to kids ages 8–15 for the first time.
📬☎️ CrossFit Athlete Council Opens Direct Feedback Channel: The CAC has launched a dedicated email address (here) for athletes and community members to share questions, feedback, or concerns about the season directly with the council.
ICYMI: 5 Standout Performances From the 2026 Mayhem Classic Invitational (Rx article)
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
ATHX Games Goes Global — Meet Founders Ollie Marchon and Mark Hartnett-Morgan
Credit: Scott Freymond
“Hybrid” has undoubtedly been one of the fastest-trending terms in the fitness industry over the last couple of years.
With the rapid growth of competitive fitness events and brands investing in the space, the team running the ATHX Games is finding a sweet spot in the hybrid landscape.
We recently sat down with the founders of ATHX Games, Ollie Marchon and Mark Hartnett-Morgan, who are bringing their vision for a new, mass-participation hybrid event to life.
INDUSTRY
“The Most Versatile Trainer Yet:” Meet the Nike Free Metcon 7
Credit: Nike
Nike Training is introducing “its most versatile trainer yet,” according to a recent press release.
The Nike Free Metcon 7 is designed for athletes of all levels, meeting the demands of a workout without sacrificing stability, mobility, or style.
The press release goes on to say, “The latest iteration was updated to enhance midfoot containment, while keeping the famed Nike Free technology. The flexible forefoot and stable heel allow you to easily switch from dynamic movements to strength-based movements.”
HIGHLIGHTS
Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise? Send us a tip.
🎂Happy birthday (4/25) to Andrea Solberg.
😮💨Check out 14-year-old Roxy from Brazil on this 100kg/220-pound clean and jerk.
🇧🇷Also out of Brazil, check out semifinal athlete Kaue on this 140kg/308-pound clean and jerk.
🔥Congratulations to Laura and Kristof Horvath, who qualified for HYROX World Championships with a Mixed Doubles time of 58:24 at the Cologne HYROX.
🙌Happy affiliate anniversary (4/24) to Coast Range CrossFit in Gilroy, CA.