Emma Lawson set a goal of improving on her sixth place finish during the 2022 CrossFit Games at the 2023 edition of the event in Madison, Wisconsin earlier this month.
Mission accomplished.
Lawson totalled 919 points to secure a second place finish, closing the games 47 points behind Laura Horvath of Hungary for top spot.
The 12-event competition saw athletes take part in events such as Olympic weightlifting, cycling, running, sled pushes and pull-ups.
Further down the standings, fellow Canadian Emily Rolfe of Kamloops, BC finished 12th after accumulating 659 combined points.
Growing up attending her parents Cybil and Pete’s workouts, Lawson began her own journey in the sport at the age of seven.
“I loved it and have been involved ever since,” Lawson told CambridgeToday before the games.
Just to qualify for the games was quite the process beginning with the Worldwide Open where she recorded three weeks worth of her workouts and times. Those videos were then posted and ranked on an overall global leaderboard based on division.
Only 10 per cent of the competitors moved on to the quarterfinals that also took place virtually. At that event the top 60 men and 60 women from North America and Europe qualified for the semifinals. The top 30 men and women from Africa, Asia, Oceania and South America also qualified for the next round.
The semifinals were held in-person, with Lawson taking part in the North America East competition in Orlando, Fla.
Lawson finished in the top 11 out of 60 women to qualify.