Explainer | Johanna Julia Juliusdottir, CrossFit Open round one winner and Iceland’s latest superstar

Johanna Julia Juliusdottir sits top of the leader board after 21.1, despite being a relative unknown in CrossFit

Could she follow in the footsteps of Sara Sigmundsdottir, Annie Thorsdottir and Katrin Davidsdottir?

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Johanna Julia Juliusdottir could be CrossFit’s next Icelandic superstar. Photo: @johannajuliusdottir

Published: 4:33pm, 23 Mar 2021Updated: 4:33pm, 23 Mar 2021

The CrossFit Open’s first week finished with a leader who was both unfamiliar, and yet felt familiar. It seems Iceland has produce yet another dominant “Dottir”, who could rise to the lofty standards set by those who came before her.

Johanna Julia Juliusdottir won 21.1 in a time of 11 minutes and two seconds, and though it is common to see Icelandic women at the top of the leader board, the 24-year-old is a relative unknown.

The only outlet who predicted her rise to the top is CrossFit Blog Morning Chalk Up, who in May 2019 touted Juliusdottir as one of a few to watch and “worth keeping an eye on for the future”.

Before the 2021 Open, Juliusdottor posted on Instagram: “It will be fun and the goal is always to do your best”.

Her best proved very good indeed.

The CrossFit Open is a three-week online competition. Each week, a workout is released and athletes have seven days to complete it and upload their scores. Athletes competing at the top need a video or certified judge present. Week one was a ladder of wall-walks and double-unders, ascending in rep count each round.

Iceland is famous for its CrossFitters, having produced two “Fittest on Earth” in Annie Thorsdottir and Katrin Davidsdottir, and three-time Open champion Sara Sigmundsdottir, already.