CrossFit Games 2019: Did Mat Fraser’s penalty almost cost him the title ‘Fittest on Earth’?
- The former champion made an incredible effort to close the gap after a penalty that would have sunk many other athletes
Mat Fraser was almost usurped from his throne at the CrossFit Games by laid-back Noah Ohlsen, and many would have pointed to a specific penalty as to the reason for the change of top dog. The event was four days long, so it is hard to zero in on exact moments, but in a different universe, the point deduction could have been one of those match defining slip-ups.
During the 6km Ruck run, when athletes had to complete 1.5km laps with a loaded rucksack, Fraser accidentally dropped a weight. He unknowingly carried on with a lighter load and was penalised 60 seconds.
The time dropped him down the field. At that point, he still maintained the overall lead, but his 24 point cushion over Ohlsen was cut to two.
Sometimes in sport, you can whittle a whole match down to a single play. Ultimately, this moment was about more than just the points. The momentum swung Ohlsen’s way and the wind stayed in his sails until the penultimate event.