South Korea’s Choi Seung-yeon reflects on stealing the show at 2021 CrossFit Games
- The 22-year-old burst onto the scene after only taking up the sport four years ago
- Choi delivered one of competition’s most memorable moments when the Wisconsin crowd willed her on through injury
South Korea’s Choi Seung-yeon grabbed the hearts of fans in Madison, Wisconsin during July’s 2021 CrossFit Games in a matter of seconds.
Choi, the only athlete to qualify for the games from South Korea, sustained an injury during the seventh event at the Alliant Energy Centre, which featured a 200-metre run and one clean (where competitors take a barbell and get it to a standing position on their shoulders). In typical CrossFit fashion, athletes had to do this five times, as fast as they could.
“During that event, I had actually sprained my ankle very badly when I was running the last lap because the ground condition was not even,” said the 22-year-old.
“The last weight was 230 pounds, and I had not been able to succeed holding that weight up at all recently. So if I’m being honest, I was not confident I would be able to do it. Still, I tried to think as positively as I could, because weightlifting is what I am most confident at.”
All of the other competitors had finished, and then Choi felt something magical happen. The entire arena, which has a capacity of more than 10,000, rose to their feet just to cheer her on, even though she was in last place.