THE HWPO Camp, created and managed by Mat Fraser, has added three new elite CrossFit® athletes to its roster: Sam Kwant, Katrin Davidsdottir and Amanda Barnhart (which recently has announced that he has left Ben Bergeron!).
All three athletes have previously worked at CompTrain.
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Sam Kwant, Katrin Davidsdottir and Amanda Barnhart join the HWPO team
HWPO currently trains a pair of elite CrossFit® athletes, including the second fittest woman in the world Mal O'Brien, the seventh classified Jayson Hopper and the 22nd fittest athlete in the world Thuri Helgadottir.
Now, Mat Fraser has increased the athletes under his that with a group of new and impressive talents.
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Sam Kwant
Arrived according to the 2020 CrossFit® Games, the last time we saw Mat Fraser compete. The following year he revealed that he had been dealing with various forms of chronic illness since 2017 and had to stop his CrossFit® season.
This year left CompTrain and joined HWPO. In fact, in 2022 he finished fourth in the ai CrossFit® Games 2022.
Here are his words:
“Hard work is something I've been taught all my life. At 16, I told myself I was going to be a CrossFit® Games athlete. All the work I've done in this sport and everything I've been through have brought me here and the hard work has paid off ”.
Katrin Davidsdottir
Twice Fittest on Earth (2015-2016), earned the silver medal in 2020. In 2021 he left CompTrain in late November after a 10th place finish at the CrossFit® Games, his worst finish since 2015, to return to his home country of Iceland.
This year surprised many by failing to participate in the Games after finishing sixth at Strength in Depth and third to Last Chance Qualifier.
Her words:
“It is a new journey for us, but also a very familiar one, not only for me and Mat, but also for a large part of the HWPO team. I am extremely excited about the opportunity to be trained by the HWPO team and Mat!
Mat and I have always worked very well together as training partners and this progression towards a coach / athlete relationship seems natural to me. I still have a great desire to do and I can't wait to start this new chapter of HARD WORK !!! " Katrin told the American news site Morning Chalk Up.
Amanda Barnhart
As you already know, Amanda recently left CompTrain by posting an Instagram photo of her and Ben Bergeron.
Barnhart finished 14th at the Games this year, but her best finish so far has been 7th, achieved in 2019 and 2020.
Her words:
“I am very excited and proud to be joining HWPO Training. Harry Palley has been my coach for many years and I am grateful to continue to have him by my side. Not to mention that Mat Fraser and the rest of the HWPO Training team will help me get fitter. Ready to start the season and get to work, ”he explained.
Everyone in his own home
None of the three athletes will have to move to be part of the HWPO team, as is usually the case, as in the case of Gui Malheiros who left Brazil to move to the United States to be part of Rich Froening's Mayhem team.
“All of these athletes will spend a lot of time together during the season, but none will move to Vermont full time. Mal O'Brien, of course, already lives here, ”explained HWPO President Matt O'Keefe.
The president also spoke of the positivity of having athletes on the team: "It is an honor. When we thought about signing other athletes, we thought about who would fit our team. We have been friends with these people for years, our values are in line and fit perfectly. We are all ready to work together ”.
What else is known?
Sam Kwant and Barnhart were particularly trained by Harry Palley while they were at CompTrain. In July, the coach announced that he would join Mat Fraser at HWPO and, shortly after, his two students made the switch.
In fact, Kwant was coached by Palley during this season.
Barnhart and Davidsdottir had a bad season in 2022 and want to bounce back by joining Mat Fraser and his team at HWPO.
Athletes are likely looking forward to the 2023 CrossFit® season, which will start with the Open on February 23rd.