The reigning Men’s champion offered clarity on his slow start.
Written by Robert Zeglinski
Justin Medeiros entered the 2023 CrossFit Games in Madison, WI, hoping to add a third consecutive Men’s title to this trophy case. However, as the athlete competed on Individual opening day, he earned a 29th and 37th finish in the first two events (“Ride” and “Pig Chipper”) of the contest. Such an initial performance has put Medeiros’ repeat chances in genuine jeopardy.
On August 4, 2023, Medeiros appeared in a video with the Buttery Bros on their YouTube channel to discuss his opening performance. The interview with Medeiros begins at 2:00.
What Happened to Justin on Day 1?
The start of the 2023 Individual CrossFit Games featured “Ride,” an event where athletes had the task of finishing as many laps as possible on a Trek Bikes Marlin 8 mountain bike with a 40-minute time limit. An unfortunate crash set Medeiros back to a 29th-place finish amongst his competitors.
Medeiros explained that he had collided with Lazar Đukić twice, leading to his falls. Đukić had apparently stepped on one of his pedals too hard, slowing Medeiros down enough to crash. It is unclear if Medeiros’ crash was from the side or a rear-end. On the second occasion, Medeiros tried to maintain the inside track on Đukić, which he said was an advantage his peer tried to eliminate.
Medeiros didn’t want to give up his positioning, thrusting him into another crash. Đukić would take 35th place.
“I don’t think he [Đukić] wanted me to be on the inside, so he tried to squeeze me out,” Medeiros said. “I could have braked and gone around him, but I didn’t want to brake … I don’t think either of us wanted to fall, so I don’t think either one of [the collisions] was on purpose.”
Once it was time for the “Pig Chipper,” Medeiros was visibly shaken and managed only to recover enough for a 37th-place finish: the worst workout result of his young career. Đukić would take second place behind overall leader Roman Khrennikov.
At this stage of the 2023 Games, another Medeiros title seems unlikely. However, the athlete recovered enough to make the cut and will be a fixture all the way through Sunday’s Final.
Featured image: Buttery Bros on YouTube
About Robert Zeglinski
Robert is a seasoned and adept editor and writer with a keen, passionate penchant for the writing craft. He’s been a leader in newsrooms such as SB Nation, USA TODAY, and WBBM Newsradio, with various other content and art production teams, and first made a name for himself in his hometown of Chicago. When not knee-deep in research or lost in a stream of consciousness for a thorough piece, you can find Robert inhaling yet another novel, journaling his heart out, or playing with his Shiba Inu, Maximus (Max, for short).