Zack George, UK’s Fittest Man in 2020, announced his CrossFit Games season this year came to an end on Friday.
In an Instagram post, the athlete detailed how a hip issue he developed a few weeks ago – for which he’d been getting treatment almost daily – had affected his squatting movement.
Following an attempt at the CrossFit Quaterfinals Test 4, a 4-rep max front squat, he decided to pull out of competition to avoid causing himself further damage.
“Challenges are never easy to accept, especially when you spend each and every day training to accomplish a single goal, but I have come to accept that some things in life are simply out of my control and, unfortunately, this is one of those things,” the 30-year-old athlete wrote on Instagram.
Zack was born and raised in Leicester and first qualified to the CrossFit Games in 2020 after becoming the UK’s National Champion. He would have made his Games debut last year was it not for the pandemic, which saw CrossFit revoke Games invites for all athletes except the top 20 Open finishers and Sanctional winners.
Following a 7th place finish in the UK and 59th place in Europe after the 2021 Open, Zack qualified for the second stage of competition, the Quarterfinals. With the restructuring of the CrossFit Games season, Zack will now have to wait until 2022 to attempt to make his Games rookie appearance.
He is the last athlete to have to withdraw from the 2021 CrossFit Games season following injury. The 2019 3rd Fittest Woman on Earth, Jamie Simmonds (née Greene), announced she would have to withdraw at the end of March. Before her, Fittest Man in France, Willy Georges, and three-time CrossFit Open winner, Sara Sigmundsdottir, both announced they’d be unable to participate in the season due to injury.
Read Zack’s full statement below:
“?Today my CrossFit Games 2021 Season came to an end. I started to develop a hip issue couple weeks ago which I have been getting treatment for almost daily ever since.
“The injury has been affecting my squatting movement and after Test 4 (4RM front squat) this morning, I am following the advice of the team around me and pulling out of the competition to avoid causing myself further damage.
“I was meant to go to the CrossFit Games in 2020 which didn’t happen due to COVID and now my 2021 season has come to an abrupt end. Challenges are never easy to accept, especially when you spend each and every day training to accomplish a single goal, but I have come to accept that some things in life are simply out of my control and, unfortunately, this is one of those things. For now, I will use this setback to motivate the people who follow me to never give up on a goal, whatever obstacle they may be facing.
“I have received the most incredible support over the last few years from the CrossFit community and my amazing sponsors all of who have come on this journey with me. It’s hard not to feel like I have let everyone down, so I have to focus on getting healthy for next season and delivering for each and every one of you.
“As I am now cheering on from the sideline I am excited to see all my friends pushing themselves as the season continues. I am especially proud of the amazing UK athletes who have already done so well @lascenkoleg @ellsimmo93 @joshuaalchamaa @willkane17 @reggiefasa_ on the men’s side and @bicepslikebriggs @charlottespence11 @taylakalisehowe @evie_hollis @lucycampbell5 on the ladies. Go and crush it for all of us here in the UK! ??????”
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Image Sources
- zack-george-injury-crossfit: Matt Melling