César Cerqueira is a judge at international competitions, as well as the winner of the Hustle Up world tour.
In the CrossFit® community there are, of course, the athletes. We see them sweating, suffering and pushing their limits at every competition, regardless of their level or age. But in the shadow of these modern-day gladiators with their Herculean bodies, there are those we call the volunteers, without whom the competitions couldn't take place. Such is the case of César Cerqueira, the winner of the Hustle Up world tour. Aged 42, César discovered CrossFit® in 2017 on the Internet when he was looking for a new sporting activity. Like many of us, he pushed open the doors of a box located not far from his home in the Paris region. The first WOD was a real killer, especially the max burpee finisher. From the very first sessions, he was captivated by the community dimension of CrossFit®. "I was the new kid on the block, people were coming up to me, trying to get to know me," César recalls. I see CrossFit® as a collective but individualized sport. We're all together, and everyone does the same WOD at their own pace, according to their own abilities. And until everyone has finished, no one leaves". In 2018 César volunteered to be an Open judge. A few months later, the same year, he was a judge at the OnRushers Summer Contest. His relationship with CrossFit® and his commitment to the community were to change forever. He continued to attend competitions, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the word "Judge" on his back: Lutèce Throwdown, Alsace Throwdown, French Throwdown, Affiliate Battle. "At first I became a judge so I could give out 'no reps'," he admits bluntly. But one thing led to another and I got to know other judges. "I started wanting to gain experience with the desire to help the community".
Helping the community, enabling competitions to take place in the best possible conditions and athletes to perform. These are the missions of volunteers, whether they belong to the Judge, Care or Build teams. As of 2019, César is an international judge. Travelling to see how CrossFit® is lived outside France. Norvegian Throwdown (2019), Wodapalooza (2022, 2023, 2024), Rogue Invitational (2023, 2024). And then the CrossFit® Games in 2023, a kind of Holy Grail for every CrossFit® enthusiast. I had the chance to judge CrossFit® Invictus on the last WOD," he recalls. They were first in the Team competition". As the competition progressed, César gained experience and therefore competence. His eye and technical knowledge sharpen considerably. A good judge is someone who knows how to listen," he explains, "who knows how to be flexible, who knows how to adapt to different situations on the floor. You have to be humble; just because I'm a judge doesn't mean I'm the boss. We must never forget the judges' vital role. Like the athletes, they are the players in the competition. "We have to be as invisible as possible, but we have to be concentrated and vigilant, because one wrong decision can change the course of a competition", warns César. And then there are the memories. Lots of memories close to the players and spectators, like in 2024 during the French Throwdown. "Being on the floor and seeing Victor Hoffer confirm his qualification for the Games, getting the crowd on its feet, it was incredible". More memories are to be made this summer in Fort Worth at the CrossFit® Games.
Soon enough it will be time to organize the world tour of CrossFit Gyms he won with Hustle Up. "I'd like to visit some of the best-known boxes to meet people and see how they work there. I'm thinking of CrossFit® Invictus, CrossFit® Mahyem or CrossFit® Oslo and No Short Cuts. I don't just want to be a consumer, I want to talk to the people there, the athletes, the coaches, the owners", says César.And in the back of his mind, he's aiming to become a better judge. We'll be following his wanderings around the world as he discovers the different CrossFit® Gyms.