The news is from a few weeks ago, more precisely on March 21, 2023. First on his Instagram account and then on his YouTube channel: the 2023 will be Willy Georges' last year as an elite individual athlete.
With these words he announced his retirement:
“It is a thoughtful decision, not from today but for almost a year. On my 30th birthday, I should have moved on, but during the Quarter Finals, the urge was not always there and my Test score 1 (a real challenge for my shoulder) was too difficult to recover, despite the other scores. But to be honest, I did what I could with what my body would let me do. I gave it my all.
So, I'll tell you what many of my family and friends have known for a long time: This year is my last year as an individual athlete. I have many personal and professional plans for the future, but I feel that my body can no longer keep up with the pace that I have imposed on it, and it makes me feel it. I tried to resist and carry on, but to no avail. The time has come to give him what he wants: to rest ”.
Here is his Instagram post with the full message:
In his YouTube video, Willy talked about his future professional and sporting plans.
- He would like to continue developing his WYS CrossFit® ®* gym and WYS training program.
- Pass on his knowledge and experience to the athletes
- Create a WYS CrossFit®®* team for next year and look to send athletes to the Games.
- He also states that he has athletic challenges in mind in other sports that he would like to achieve.
The video below:
Index
Who is Willy Georges?
Il French Willy Georges is a CrossFit® Games athlete high-level who ranked 9th in 2018 and 21st in 2019.
Willy Georges was born on March 10, 1993 in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, in Lorraine. He was fortunate to grow up in a family that encouraged him to enjoy outdoor activities. From an early age he discovered and experimented with many sports.
Willy Georges calls himself a real “handyman“. He practiced judo, athletics, swimming and basketball before focusing on rugby. He joined the LOU Espoirs team from Lyon, then from Hyères-Carqueiranne in Fédérale 1.
In 2015, however, he injured his hand during a workout. Seriously injured, he was forced to put his career on hold.
To get back in shape, the young athlete decided to devote himself to CrossFit®, following the advice of his physical trainer at the time. This sporting discipline allowed him to work all the muscles of the body, improve cardio and reduce stress.
Thus, he was quickly seduced by this complete and original sport. He then abandoned rugby and athletics to devote himself completely to CrossFit®.
Willy Georges' CrossFit® Career
Before becoming a French CrossFit® star, Willy Georges worked tirelessly and never stopped tackling challenges. At the time, this 1 m athlete weighed just 79 kg. However, his determination and his tenacity allowed him to participate in the most important races.
In 2017 the young athletea won his first title of “France's fittest man“, winning that year's Open. He held this title until 2020.
2018 was the year of consecration. At 25, he achieved first place in the French Throwdown rankings, the biggest European competition. He also distinguished himself in the United States by qualifying for the CrossFit® Games.
Willy Georges stays the first Frenchman to participate in the Games, finishing in 9th place in the Elite category and competing together with Mathew Fraser and Patrick Vellner.
The competitions follow and the athlete builds a solid reputation in the world of CrossFit®. You have been fortunate to receive sponsorships from Nike, BeNN and GOWOD. In 2021, unfortunately, he injured his shoulder and underwent a major operation.
However, the following year is back in the limelight, more determined than ever. He started by regaining the title of best CrossFitter in France. Then he classified himself first at CrossFit® Strength in Depth of London, qualifying for i 2022 CrossFit® Games, finishing 17th in the standings.