As you well know by now, yes they are I also concluded Quarterfinals for the Team and Age Group categories and, to our delight, several other Italian athletes passed (in addition to the Elites we have already told you about).
They are well two Italian teams (CrossFit® Senigallia and CrossFit® Bad Beast) and 8 Master athletes who passed the cut and advanced to the Semifinals in Berlin*, to battle for an invitation to the 2023 Games.
* We remind you that for the athletes of the Age Group division, the semifinals are only online and not in presence as for the other categories.
Index
Quarterfinals 2023 Results – Age Group
Antea Longo – Master W 35-39 category: 21st overall
Here are his words:
“I had all the best resolutions, but never like this year have I found myself unprepared at the start of the Open. I missed qualifying for the individual semi-finals, but I still have time, I know what was missing this year.
Then, unexpectedly I finished 21st in the world in the 35-39. Next weekend it will be a fight to get back into the top 10 and there is only one way, to give 100%.
I've known where I want to go for years, every year that passes doesn't take away my desire, it reminds me more and more of the goal”.
Alessandro Chiarolanza – Master category M 40-44: 26th overall
Here are his words:
“I lived these Quarterfinals in a very easy way, as if they were ordinary qualifications. Remotely supported by my super coach Andrea Croceri Team Elite and by my people inside my garage, just a few people.
Now things get more interesting, I'm playing against the 30 best in the world and it's a pity that for the Age groups the semifinals are not live, like for the Elites.
I had a accident on the right calf, which is why I performed poorly in workout 2a (the box jumps), but otherwise all the WODs were right up my alley and I really liked them.
Let's say that it's not the best "breaking" in front of a camera, in silence and without the support of the public, but above all without the other athletes, for a competitive factor!
However, even if inside my box and with few people I will give my best to go and get all those NoBull clothes hahaha!”
Andrea di Salvatore – Master category M 45-49: 5th overall
Here are his words:
“In my opinion, the wods were varied and fun, many elements, including new ones, such as the chest to wall HSPUs.
Test 1 combo of dumbbells in walking lunge and barre (ttb, ctb and bmu) result? Tied first in the world!Test 2 hspu chest to walk, ghd, sit ups, high box jumps and finally a max clean. This test worried me, as I know that the Americans, in general, are stronger on the balance wheel and I risked losing too many positions.
Instead the surprise: I improve my clean ceiling and I defend myself very well!
Test 3: endless series of shuttle runs (exactly 100), practically 1500 meters of shots inside the box, crazy, just mentally thinking about it! Followed by rope climb, heavy bench press and shuttle run again.
Think what Froning described as “the most boring wod of his life”! What to say? It must have been boring, but I took second place in the world, so… that's okay!
Test 4 a classic cal Rower and thrusters 27-21-15-9. Here too an excellent result, among the top 4 or 5 in the world.
They have been congenial to me, where I was able to perform at my best. In these tests we were 1500 athletes and the cut was for the top 30 in the world, therefore few strategies and give everything, push from start to finish!
Final result after the judges' reviews? 5th in the world in my category!! Sure, I'm very happy but at the same time I'm sure I didn't do anything, as the Semifinals are just around the corner.
Now we have to give everything, there are 30 of us and, as you know, only the first 10 will go to the Games. Emotion at the ball and a little anxiety, but the right one.”
Gerardo Schiatti – Master category M 60-64: 19th overall
Here are his words:
“I have lived and am living this very intense period serenely, especially the Open, made in company and perceived as a very pleasant moment.
In the quarters, I have to say that I suffered more from the wod with the hspu… Being now 63 years old, I didn't have particular expectations of qualifying, so I'm very happy to be among the top 30 athletes in the world!
I'm used to competitions, to always give my all, but also to accept what comes.
So I will try with all my efforts to qualify to be able to compete again in the USA, after the incredible experience in Miami.”
Antonio Boldrini – Master category M 55-59: 5th overall
Here are his words:
“After two consecutive Games and two years of very intense training, under the expert guidance of my two coaches Andrea Trotta and Alan Pellin, my mind and body needed a less stressful season.
Therefore, we decided to do a different programming and to follow the workouts of my CrossFit® RedWall box classes (which are very intense and very beautiful) with some small pre or post workout additions, trying to use heavier loads than those normally required for my age group.
After the hitch of the serious injury suffered in December (three cervical hernias expelled with neurological problems and an ankle microfracture) I never thought I'd participate in the Open 2023.
However, having partially recovered, albeit with limitations in the execution of some skills, I decided to try again and in the last useful days I signed up facing the three wods together with the many guys in the box and the coaches, in an atmosphere of joy and carefree .
In the subsequent quartefinals, thanks to the accumulated experience and the wods suited to my characteristics, I really enjoyed myself.
The only unknown factor was my physical endurance in two days of testing, having a lower volume of work on my shoulders than in past years.
I therefore decided to schedule the first test on Friday evening at 21,30 (despite the release of the WODs at 21) so as to be able to do two the following day, with the last one on Sunday morning, thus keeping the possibility of trying again if necessary wod 3 or 4 on Sunday afternoon (fortunately there was no need).
I can say without hesitation that the fifth place finish went beyond my expectations and that I am very happy. However, I am aware that what has been done so far does not count for anything since everything is reset to zero.
Now there are thirty of us left (the winner of the last Games 2023 M55 Mike Egan has even remained out) and the semifinals will be a real battle in which a single rep or a simple pound more can be decisive for entering the 10 places available for the Games 2023.
It's the beauty of CrossFit® that it forces you to always push to the max, just to have no regrets.”
Piera Limito – Master W 65+ category: 24th overall
Here are his words:
“At first I thought about not taking part in the Open, since this year has been a difficult period and, therefore, I haven't practiced CrossFit® continuously.
Under the urging of my coach Lucrezia Siri and the girls of the "Hokuto" Box, I signed up, without ambitions and every result obtained was a surprise, with relative great satisfaction.
I had difficulty performing some wods, also due to limited specific training and strong emotional tension.
I was surprised by the result that allows me to access the semifinals, I really didn't expect it, also because I think the other athletes are stronger and more skilled than me. At the moment I'm still not sure of my participation in the semi-final because I'm afraid I'm not up to it, however regardless of the possible result I get, I'll be extremely satisfied with the path I've made."
Emanuela Scarpelli – category Master W 55-59: 28th overall
Here are his words:
“The Open, in my opinion, are always nice to participate in, for me and for all my box it is an appointment that we look forward to every year, with great curiosity!
This year the infinite shuttle runs were the real surprise, a surprise that then continued with the Quarterfinals shuttle runs…. Who expected them again? Anyway, the WODs were all fun and challenging!
In the quarterfinals I had even more fun, even if I really missed a WOD….
However it went, the important thing was to be in the top 30 (and I got back there), and the credit goes to my entire garage, which supports me at all times!
Now Semifinals! It's the first time I've come this far in this sport, I'm happy and… scared, I'll try to do everything I can!”
2023 Quarterfinals Results – Team Division
Team Bad Beast – 25th Europe
Here are their words:
“Unlike the Individuals, we knew that the Open stage would be the hardest for us teams to get through as only 68 teams would advance to the quarterfinals. Consider that adding up all our open workout redos, it turns out that we did 31 wods! 😂 We can say that we really understand the importance of every single rep and that every second improved in a workout carries a huge weight.
We qualified 43rd in Europe and the cutoff for the Semifinals would have been 40 teams, but finally we were going to be tested as a team!
From that moment we gave absolute priority to team training and it was the funniest part! We arrived at the quarterfinals really concentrated and determined because we knew we could prove much more all together!
It's been a crazy two days! all the garage guys and our friends were there for us and we really gave everything! Unlike the Open, we didn't redo the workouts, except for the last one where we redo the same score 😂!
At the Semifinal we expect to do well and have fun first of all!!
We have nothing to lose because this was our goal for the season and we can't wait to put all the training done on the field and bring home an experience that we will always remember!”.
Team Senigallia – 36th Europe
Here are their words:
“Telling you what happened in these months is long! But let's try to summarize! We made up the Senigallia team in five: Marta Ricottini, Stefano Carosso, Chiara Salandra, Andrea Barbotti and Gaetano Pezzullo.
Everything went quite well during the Open, even if Stefano was unable to do the last workout due to physical conditions which then worsened during the quarterfinals in event 3B.
In the Quarters, on the other hand, there were some setbacks: I [Barbotti] caught an intestinal virus that knocked me out during the first two events. Then Marta was hospitalized due to a kidney infection with abscess, which forced her to stay in the hospital.
Just think that she left the hospital on Friday and started making the quarterfinals on Wednesday, so imagine what condition she was in! So, let's say we worked a bit half-lame between Open and Quarterfinals.
The first event (the one with synchro front squat and handstand walk), we misread the handstand standard and therefore we took a penalty and finished last.
In the second event we did great, even finishing 3rd. As I mentioned before, Stefano's jerk occurred during the last clean&jerk of event 3B. Event four, however, he managed to carry out thanks to the intervention of a physiotherapist who applied a sympathetic bandage.
Clearly the limitation in the squat phase decreed a further penalty and consequently we finished last both in workout one and in workout4.
But we got away with it anyway, we finished 36th, by our hair!
We are now preparing for the Semifinals, Ste is recovering well, he had a follow-up ultrasound last Tuesday, but he hasn't stabilized yet. To preserve his condition a bit, we decided to have Gaetano race instead of him.
Therefore, the official team for the Semifinals will be Marta, Chiara, Gaetano and Andrea. The wods come out in mid-May and so we'll spend a few weekends together to try them out.
I'm very confident, for the semifinals, crossing my fingers for Marta's recovery, which to date is not yet 100%.
On the other hand, there was an excellent understanding with Gaetano and despite the lack of a great athlete like Stefano within the team we can still say what a qualifying margin there is, given that 10 teams pass the Games! Now head down and work, but we are really excited for this challenge!”