The 2023 CrossFit Games documentary, Fittest on Earth: Final Showdown in Madtown, is officially available for $14.99 on Apple TV and Prime Video. We got a chance to watch the documentary and have some thoughts on what you can expect below.
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Our Take
Like all of the Fittest on Earth documentaries of the past, Final Showdown in Madtown gets up and close with the athletes at the CrossFit Games and does an incredible job telling a handful of their stories.
- If you watched the 2023 CrossFit Games as it unfolded, the documentary takes you behind the scenes of the memorable moments from the event while bringing you first-hand athlete perspectives that you won’t find anywhere else.
The Annie-Katrin Moment
Remember watching Annie Thorisdottir and Katrin Davidsdottir compete during the Olympic Total event?
- Their genuine support for each other was heartwarming, as they both hit lift after lift before falling into each other’s arms in celebration at the end of the event.
Re-watching this moment in the documentary was tear-jerking all over again, as both Thorisdottir and Davidsdottir provided their memories of the event from their perspectives.
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The Roman Moment
One of the most memorable moments from the 2023 Games was, of course, when Roman Khrennikov injured his foot on the final day after leading the competition for much of the weekend.
- He continued to compete, eventually finishing third overall, and his single-leg, heavy rope double-unders became one of the most poignant moments of those Games.
The documentary gives you a closer look at Khrennikov’s heroics, even giving you a glimpse into the conversation he and his translator had with CrossFit’s medical staff and Director of the CrossFit Games, Dave Castro, before deciding to carry on.
EMBED: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvqaMP1tKR4/
Emma Lawson’s Fall From First
On the women’s side, it was teenager Emma Lawson who led much of the competition.
- In fact, she led right up until the final event, when eventual winner Laura Horvath passed Lawson and scooped the leader’s jersey to finish off the competition.
The documentary catches a raw, tearful conversation with Lawson and her coach when she finds out she dropped into second.
The seven-time champion Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr sees Lawson crying and approaches her, with her newborn baby in her arms, to give Lawson a much-needed pep talk.
The Bigger Picture: The Timing Is Right
With all the uncertainty, frustration, and anger on the sport side of CrossFit right now in the aftermath of Lazar Đukić’s death, this documentary came at a good time (at least for me).
- It helped rekindle my spirit and remind me why I love this sport, the community, and the Games themselves.
And also, one last thing: You will fall in love with Olivia Kerstetter (if you haven’t already) and with Pat Vellner’s wife.
More CrossFit Stories
- Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr and Laura Horvath Made History at the 2024 Rogue Invitational
- Semifinal Veteran Alison Scudds Readies Herself for 2025 Season and Another Run at CrossFit Games Glory
- CrossFit’s New Athlete Council – Learning Lessons From the Past
Credit: @crossfitgames / Instagram
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