Horvath understands the importance of her influence and platform.
Written by Robert Zeglinski
After years of falling just short of CrossFit’s ultimate goal, Laura Horvath finally ascended the sport’s highest mountain when she earned the title of 2023 Fittest Woman on Earth®. As the runner-up in 2018 and 2021 and a podium finisher in 2022, Horvath’s moment of glory was a long time coming. At just 26 years old, with no clear dominant CrossFit queen in place, the Hungarian athlete’s reign may also just be near its inception. It doesn’t seem like Horvath is taking this platform lightly.
In her post-victory interview at the 2023 CrossFit Games, Horvath discussed what it means to be a role model as a first-time winner of the Games. The athlete, who is stockily and appropriately built to thrive in an intense sports environment like CrossFit, shared an enlightening answer as someone clearly prepared to set a quality example in the years to come.
The interviewer asked a simple question of Horvath, with a vital premise: How does it feel to be a role model to young girls who see someone like her excel in a CrossFit setting? With a Hungarian flag draped over her back, Horvath — who was understandably still out of breath — chose her words carefully in the biggest moment of her career to date.
As fitness and health standards set unrealistic expectations for women of all ages, Horvath shared an honest speech about how being true to herself has served her success.
“It’s a lot of pressure, but I’m just very happy that my body and I can do this,” Horvath said. “And I’m not looking at the Barbie movie, ‘oh, I want to look like that.’ I want to look like what I look like. I just want to prove that my body, whatever it looks like, can do these amazing things, move things from A to B, lift heavy, and run fast, and all those things. And I’m just very excited that little girls and teenagers look up to what happens here because our bodies are not us. We are what’s inside. And it’s amazing what they can do when you put the work in.”
Some elite athletes at the top of their game might elect to stick to their craft and keep their noses to the ground. For the most part, that sentiment still applies to Horvath, even after winning the biggest prize in CrossFit. However, this new member of CrossFit royalty certainly seems to understand the gravitas of her accomplishment, and she doesn’t appear to be shying away from the responsibility.
Featured image: @laurahorvaht on Instagram
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).