The 2023 CrossFit Open has officially kicked off with the announcement of the first workout, the 23.1 Workout. This highly anticipated event was revealed on February 16th in Madrid, Spain, and it has already set the tone for the rest of the season. The CrossFit Open is the first stage of qualification for the CrossFit Games, and this workout will give us an insight into who may be the potential contenders for the title overall. Athletes are required to submit a video recording of themselves performing this workout by February 20th.
The CrossFit Open is an exciting annual event that brings together CrossFit athletes from around the world. Organized by CrossFit, Inc., it’s a global fitness competition that is open to anyone, regardless of age, fitness level or location. Whether you’re a seasoned CrossFit athlete or a beginner looking to test your skills, the CrossFit Open is the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself and see how you stack up against other athletes.
In the CrossFit Open, a fresh workout is released by CrossFit every week, providing participants with an exciting new challenge. Competitors have a specific timeframe to complete the workout and submit their scores online. These workouts are designed to be demanding, and they encompass a wide variety of exercises.
To demonstrate what the 23.1 Workout is supposed to look like, the CrossFit organization brought four elite athletes to go head-to-head in two duels. The women’s duel featured Laura Horvath and Gabriela Migala, while the men’s duel saw Lazar Đukić and Björgvin Karl Gudmundsson face each other.
2023 CrossFit Open Workout 23.1
Rx’d
Complete as many reps as possible in 14 minutes of:
- 60 calorie Row
- 50 Toes-To-Bars
- 40 Wall-Ball Shots (Men: 20-lb Ball to 10-ft target / Women: 14-lb Ball to 9-ft target)
- 30 Cleans (Men: 135-pound / Women: 95-pound)
- 20 Muscle-Ups
Scaled
- 60-calorie Row
- 50 Hanging Knee Raises
- 40 Wall-Ball shots (Men: 24-lb ball to10-foot target / Women: 10-lb ball to 9-foot target)
- 30 Cleans (Men: 95-pound / Women: 65-pound)
- 20 Chin-Over-Bar Pull-Ups
Foundations
- 60 Strokes on the Rower
- 50 Sit-Ups
- 40 Wall-Ball shots (Men: 10-lb ball to 10-foot target / Women: 6-lb ball to 9-foot target)
- 30 Cleans (Men: 45-pound / Women: 35-pound)
- 20 Push-Ups
Related: Here Is How You Can Watch The 2023 CrossFit Open
The 23.1 Workout is a classic test of both strength and endurance, and it will be interesting to see how the athletes perform in this first workout of the season. The toes-to-bar is a complex movement that requires a combination of strength, mobility, and technique. The muscle-up is also a challenging movement that requires upper body strength and skill, making it evident that every athlete who wants to perform well must be extremely versatile.
Women’s Duel
Laura Horvath is one of the more experienced athletes in the top flight of CrossFit, but she is still hungry for more success. She has competed at the CrossFit Games five times so far, finishing on the podium on three occasions. She finished second in 2021 and 2018, but the most recent 2022 CrossFit Games still saw her put up one of the most amazing performances yet, as she walked off with a bronze medal. She is now the face of the first CrossFit Open Workout this year and hopes to become the Fittest on Earth.
Gabriela Migala on the other hand, has just one less appearance at the CrossFit Games, but her greatest placing was 6th in 2021. Still, Gabriela is one of the few women who could rival Laura.
Laura Horvath proved to be more dominant than Gabriela Migala, as she set the best score this workout has ever seen. This identical workout has been featured in 2014, where the legendary Sam Briggs set the record of 256 reps. Laura Horvath managed to crush that record with a score of 266 reps, beating Gabriela with a 27 rep difference as well.
- Laura Horvath — 266 reps
- Gabriela Migala — 239 reps
Update: Laura Horvath and Gabriela Migala’s results are invalidated due to a barbell misload, as per the statement of CrossFit.
Men’s Duel
The Serbian representative, Lazar Đukic has accepted the task of demonstrating the CrossFit Open Workout 23.1, seeing that he is one of the two men in the duel. Lazar has only competed at the CrossFit Games for the past two years, placing in the top 10 both times. He first finished in ninth place, but improved to eight at the most recent Games.
His rival, Björgvin Karl Gudmundsson, is much more experienced, as he has made his CrossFit Games debut in 2014 and took part in each following edition. His greatest placing was third, which he achieved in 2015, as well as 2019. However, Gudmundsson finished just one place behind Lazar at the 2022 CrossFit Games, proving that this matchup is perfect.
Lazar Đukić managed to win the men’s duel after taking a calculated approach and a technically perfect performance. By meticulously regulating his breathing, he not only completed the identical workout to that of Rich Froning, the four-time CrossFit Games Champion, but also surpassed Froning’s 2014 score of 277 reps, achieving an impressive feat. Björgvin Karl Gudmundsson had an impressive performance as well, but he was overshadowed by an amazing Lazar Đukić.
- Lazar Đukić — 286 reps
- Björgvin Karl Gudmundsson — 276 reps
Related: The CrossFit Games Will Continue To Be Held In Madison, Wisconsin In 2024
Remaining CrossFit Open Workouts
- Workout 23.2 — Presenting ceremony on February 23rd, 2023 — Submissions Due on February 27th, 2023
- Workout 23.3 — Presenting ceremony on March 2nd, 2023 — Submissions Due on March 6th, 2023
Both the 23.2 and 23.3 CrossFit Open Workout revealing ceremonies will be broadcasted on the official CrossFit Games YouTube channel, the CrossFit Games website, as well as the CrossFit Games app. Fitness Volt will provide a detailed account of each workout, the results, and much more.
Watch CrossFit Open Workout 23.1 Live Here:
Published: 16 February, 2023 | 3:18 PM EDT
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