Adriana Olschewski, director of Copa Sur, talks to us about the evolution of CrossFit® in Brazil and its future.
In 2024, Copa Sur, the biggest CrossFit® competition in Latin America, hosts the South American semifinal of the CrossFit® Games. The continent's best athletes will be at the Arena Carioca 1 in Rio de Janeiro from 31 May to 2 June, in a bid to qualify for the CrossFit® Games finals.
Before the start of this major event, Adriana Olschewski, director of Copa Sur, talks to us about the evolution of CrossFit® in Brazil and its future.
Hustle Up : Copa Sur will host the semi-finals of the CrossFit® Games. How do you feel ? Adriana Olschewski : It's an indescribable honor, what we've built up over the years is incredible, and hosting the south america semifinal rewards all our hard work. To see our team of volunteers come back every year and bring friends and family to join us in building the event is a great pride. They are successful business people, affiliate owners, doctors, lawyers, engineers… Copa Sur hosts the semifinal of the CrossFit® Games, it shows that we're on the good path.
What impact has CrossFit® had in Brazil? CrossFit® transformed the fitness industry in Brazil, both professionally and business wise. He challenged conventional gym trainers from conventional gyms to study how to improve themselves and get out of their comfort zone. Practically in every gym today it is possible to find a small area dedicated to functional training. I think CrossFit® is behind this change. And I'll go further, CrossFit opened a business ecosystem, generated new business niches even in the industrial sector here in Brazil.
Isn't it difficult for CrossFit® to exist in a country where soccer is the ultra-dominant sport? The Brazilian people will always love football, it is part of the culture. It is in the Brazilian DNA, but there is something about Brazilians that I have never seen in other cultures : we are curious and we love trying new things. There are football player who do CrossFit® to get stronger or improve their physical condition. Here, the CrossFit® community comes together to watch the weekend's football matches.
Are Brazilians receptive to the benefits of CrossFit®? Yes of course, but we still have a long way to go to demystify CrossFit® and make it accessible to the Brazilian population. CrossFit® is still considered as an elite physical activity, and that's not the case. I think that's our biggest challenge.
What do you think of the evolution of CrossFit® in Brazil? I realize that together we are adjusting the compass. I think CrossFit® will unite and bring together even more people. In any case, we are open to working together with CrossFit HQ to go beyond what we've imagined. We need to break down the walls of objections. We need to educate people and demystify CrossFit®. I'll say it again: it's not just a sport for top athletes. We need to break down that image. We have to show that we save lives, that we take care of people, as Greg Glassman says. CrossFit® is still in its infancy. I see it as a growing child that has not yet reached maturity.