2024 Dubai Fitness Championship

This weekend, 30 men and 30 women will gather in Dubai for the final major competition of the year.

For 2024, the Dubai Fitness Championship revamped its invitation process, making it primarily dependent on the online qualifier.

This change has resulted in a different lineup compared to previous years. Notably, three men and four women who competed individually at the 2024 CrossFit Games will step onto the stage in Dubai.

Altogether, the field includes eight men and 11 women who have competed at the CrossFit Games as individuals.

Women’s Division

The race for the podium is expected to revolve around five women—a mix of veteran Games athletes, a rookie, and an emerging talent.

Karin Freyova

Freyova is the reigning champion, having won the Dubai Fitness Championship two years in a row. She is the favorite to claim her third consecutive title.

This year, she achieved the best Semifinals finish among this group, taking fourth at the French Throwdown.

Matilda Garnes

Garnes made her mark as part of Team Peak 360, earning third place at this year’s CrossFit Games.

She dominated her first solo competition after the Games, winning the Belgrade Games and securing top-two finishes in all six events. Garnes also has a strong history in Dubai, finishing second in 2022.

Elisa Fuliano

An Italian competitor, Fuliano debuted in the Dubai Fitness Championship last year, earning a fifth-place finish.

At last month’s Belgrade Games, she had an impressive performance, claiming second place by winning the final four events, just behind Garnes.

Linda Keesman

A rookie at the 2024 CrossFit Games, Keesman finished 19th in Fort Worth, TX.

During Semifinals, her seventh-place finish at the French Throwdown could have placed her ninth on a global Semifinals leaderboard, outperforming nearly all her Dubai competitors except Freyova.

Anikha Greer

This young Canadian narrowly missed qualifying for the CrossFit Games by just one point in 2024 and three points in 2023 at the North America East Semifinals.

These close misses have overshadowed her notable off-season campaigns, including second-place finishes at the 2023 Down Under Championship and the Madrid Championship, where she outperformed several Games veterans.

Other Women to Watch

Kristin Holte and Jamie Simmonds, both former CrossFit Games podium finishers in 2019, are competing individually this week.

Holte retired after her fourth-place finish at the 2021 CrossFit Games, while Simmonds’ last individual Games appearance was in 2023, where she earned 17th place.

Another name to watch is Emily De Rooy, a 2023 CrossFit Games rookie who also won the team competition with Mayhem Thunder.

Podium Predictions

1. Karin Freyova
   
   
2. Anikha Greer
   
   
3. Matilda Garnes
   
   

Men’s Division

The men’s field lacks the depth of experience seen in the women’s competition, but it boasts numerous athletes on the rise, making for an exciting showdown.

Moritz Fiebig

Coming off a strong 21st-place finish at the 2023 CrossFit Games, Fiebig’s 2024 season was disrupted when he withdrew after a tragedy during Event 1.

However, he returned triumphantly, winning the Belgrade Games by dominating four of the six events. He also narrowly missed the top spot in Dubai in 2022 due to a tiebreaker, finishing second to Fabián Beneito Sellés.

Luka Đukić

Luka Đukić had a promising 2024 season before suffering a personal tragedy marked by the loss of his brother Lazar. Earlier this year, he won the UAE Storm Games and placed fifth at the French Throwdown.

Returning to competition after the CrossFit Games, Đukić secured third place at the Belgrade Games and earned his Dubai invitation through the online qualifier.

Calum Clements

The Spaniard is one of just two athletes in the Dubai field to have finished in the top 20 at the 2024 CrossFit Games, landing at 20th.

While he hasn’t had notable victories this off-season, Clements' sixth-place finish at the 2022 Madrid Championship showcases his continued competitiveness.

Spencer Panchik

Spencer Panchik, known for his past success, has the best CrossFit Games finish among men competing in Dubai, placing 17th in 2023.

Although 2024 has been less favorable for Panchik, his history of bouncing back makes him a compelling contender this weekend.

Bronislaw Olenkowicz

Nicknamed “Big Bron,” Olenkowicz is the most experienced competitor in the Dubai field.

A year removed from his career-best 26th-place CrossFit Games finish, he impressed last month with a second-place showing at the Belgrade Games, just behind Fiebig.

Additionally, he performed well as a Masters athlete, taking third in the 35-39 division at the Masters CrossFit Games by Legends.

Podium Predictions

1. Moritz Fiebig
   
   
2. Luka Đukić
   
   
3. Calum Clements
   
   

The Prize Purse

Although the lineup has changed, the stakes are as high as ever.

The Dubai Fitness Championship boasts one of the sport’s most lucrative prize purses. Winners will take home $50,000, second-place finishers $30,000, and third-place competitors $20,000.

Beyond podium placements, top three finishers in each event will also earn cash prizes of $1,500 for first, $1,000 for second, and $750 for third.

With so much on the line, every athlete has a reason to fight for their best performance. Expect fierce competition, standout moments, and thrilling finishes at this year’s Dubai Fitness Championship!

Source: barbend

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.