Coming off a 3rd place finish at the 2022 CrossFit Games, Ricky Garard’s schedule was packed full of off-season competitions. Garard just competed in the Rogue Invitational and was slated to compete at the Down Under Championships, Dubai Fitness Championship and Wodapalooza. That is, until he withdrew from the Dubai Fitness Championship.
Garard made the decision alongside his coach, Justin Cotler, to sit out Dubai in order to better prepare for the upcoming 2023 CrossFit Games season. Prior to his withdrawal, Garard would have competed every month from October through January. And then the CrossFit Open begins in February.
Backfilling Garard’s spot in Dubai is Nikita Yundov. Yundov finished 22nd in the Dubai online qualifier and is the second athlete outside the cut line to get an invite. Last month, Sam Cournoyer declined his invite and Moritz Fiebig, who finished 21st in the qualifier, was next in line.
Yundov has competed at the CrossFit Games in 2019 and has been to the Semifinals the past two seasons. He finished 14th at the CrossFit Lowlands Throwdown Semifinal in 2022.
Garard will be competing at the Down Under Championship in Australia in two weeks. Garard will be joined by Khan Porter and Matt Dlugos in the Men’s Team of 3 division.
And after taking December off, Garard appear will be at competing at Wodapalooza on a team. Garard will be joining forces with Tim Paulson and fellow Underdogs Athletics teammate Matt Dlugos.
