CrossFit Games 2019: surprised Malaysian winner heads to US to compete ‘even if I pass out’
- Edmund Tan takes a ‘honeymoon’ year from CrossFit, but qualifies for the games to his shock and surprise
- He cannot afford to go with enough time to prepare so needs help from crowdfunding
Edmund Tan could not believe it when he qualified for the CrossFit Games via the open. He thought he finished second, but organisers docked the winner points following a vidoe review and promoted Tan to first place in Malaysia.
“They sent me an email with a form asking for my citizenship proof. That’s when I thought: ‘Am I going to the games?’” he said. “I was shocked. It took me quite a few days to digest it, but now I’m just busy with my training.”
Any athlete around the world can enter the open. CrossFit releases a weekly workout and scores participants. For the first time this year, the winner in each country earns a spot at the games.
Tan was planning on having an easy “honeymoon” year, but is now focused on training. Hard work in the gym is not the only preparation to reach the games in Madison, Wisconsin from July 29 to August 4. He cannot afford it and has set up a crowdfunding page.
“It’s far away and I need to get used to the climate, I need to get over the jet lag,” he said. “So, I need to be there one or two weeks earlier. It’s three weeks in the States. The accommodation is going to be a burden. The flights too.”