Lefteris Theofanidis all but sealed The CrossFit Open title at 20.4 with one workout still to go while Sara Sigmundsdottir also put herself in a strong position going into the last week.
Last weekend saw athletes complete the following for time:
30 Box Jumps (24 inches for men and 20 inches for women)
15 Clean & Jerks (95lbs/65lbs)
30 Box Jumps (24 inches/20 inches)
15 Clean & Jerks (135lbs/85lbs)
30 Box Jumps (24 inches/20 inches)
10 Clean & Jerks (185lbs/115lbs)
30 Single-Leg Squats
10 Clean & Jerks (225lbs/145lbs)
30 Single-Leg Squats
5 Clean & Jerks (275lbs/175lbs)
30 Single-Leg Squats
5 Clean & Jerks (315lbs/205lbs)
20-minute time cap
Having already achieved finishes in the top 11 for each of the previous three workouts, Theofanidis continued his remarkable form by clocking 15 minutes for fourth place. His nearest rival, CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser, tried to put the pressure on the Greek with a time of 14 minutes and 22 seconds to finish 2nd in the workout but the gap now looks too great to bridge.
That means Theofanidis needs to come in the top 35 next week to secure the title regardless of other athletes’ performances.
But given the unpredictability of CrossFit, anything could happen in a final workout that will likely be designed to scrutinise every competitor in the field.
Women’s leader Sigmundsdottir also cemented a strong position heading into 20.5 by posting the second best time of the week with 11 minutes and 11 seconds.
That saw her move a further one point ahead of her training partner Annie Thorisdottir, who could only manage 12 minutes 24 seconds for third.
The workout was won by a stunning display of strength endurance from Argentina’s Sasha Nieves though, who moved up to 34th with her first win of the series.
Emma McQuaid currently sits third, with just three points separating herself, Tia-
Clair Toomey and Kristin Holte, so will be in a close battle for a top-three overall finish next weekend.
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